


The Legend of the Soulmate Well

by jules3700



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Complete, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love Again, Fluff, Frequent Rainfalls, Identity Reveal, Intertwined Fates, Love at First Sight, Realization of Feelings, Red String of Fate, Soulmates, coming together, legend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26707222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jules3700/pseuds/jules3700
Summary: One fateful evening in the rain and two coins lead to three chance encounters between soulmates.Both twenty-two years old now and living different lives then they had dreamed, Marinette and Adrien find themselves meeting once again for the first time in eight years. The legend of the well brought them together, but will they be able to find each other on time, or will their intertwined fates dissipate once more?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 36
Kudos: 70





	1. Fateful Weather Part One: Adrien's Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien finds himself reminiscing in the rain once again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I woke up with a concept for a story I thought would be interesting to try out with the Miraculous characters, so I grabbed my laptop and began writing. I ended up liking it well enough so...here we are. Enjoy!

“Come on, Adrien, bear with me for another five minutes, and then we can call it a day.”

Green eyes looked up from the ground. “Sorry Vincent, I must have spaced out again,” he said with a sheepish smile.

“I just need to get one more picture for your father’s new summer line and then there should be enough for the marketing team to choose from.”

Adrien nodded and shifted back into the pose he was maintaining previously. He tried desperately to focus on the clicks of the camera and the words his photographer was shouting enthusiastically. Regardless, his mind kept wandering during the last half of the photoshoot. Although he was doing his best to concentrate, Adrien couldn't help but climb down the ladder of his jumbled thoughts. He knew this wasn't helping his photographer one bit, and did feel sorry for him. Only somewhat though.

They had been here all day and just like everyone else he was desperate to be anywhere but in the stuffy room. He supposed that he could stand for another five minutes and go back to his thoughts later, although speeding up the process was not such a bad idea either. Shaking the remaining thoughts fogging his mind, he tucked his hands in his jeans front pockets and gave his best model smile, eyes peeking through his styled blonde hair.

“Yes, that is what I'm looking for! Stay just like that,” exclaimed Vincent, taking one final picture. Adrien watched him verify the photo had turned out before smiling triumphantly and turning to the rest of the staff.

“Alright, thank you everyone; that wraps this photoshoot up. Thank you Adrien I'll see you tomorrow!”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Adrien began walking towards his change room. He gave a nod of acknowledgment as he passed the staff that congratulated him on another job well done, wanting to be polite even if he could not wait to be outside.

It was raining, or at least he hoped it still was. One of the makeup artists had come back from a run to the cafe next door and told everyone of the gloomy weather. Most had groaned in annoyance, as it seemed that many hadn’t brought an umbrella.

In Adrien’s case, that was not an issue, for he came to be very fond of all rainy days. This was the reason for his distracted mind at the end of the photoshoot. He could not help thinking back to his first day of school, as he often did when it rained. His first day of freedom eight years ago, when he had stood outside of school in the rain with her. He remembered the misunderstanding, the thunder in the background, and her laughter. _Marinette_ , he sighed in his mind. They had been fourteen at the time, and now Adrien was twenty-two. How he missed her, his first friend. He often wondered about her. He missed his other classmates as well, even if he had only known them for a short period of time. He smiled softly as he finished changing into the outfit he wore upon coming to work and grabbed his backpack. Taking one last look around the room to make sure he was not leaving anything behind, he shrugged on his black jacket and headed for the door.

The building was mostly empty; only a few employees were still finishing their work for the day. Adrien walked quickly past the front desk, almost forgetting to bid good evening to Nathalie until she called out.

“Thank you for your hard work today, Adrien. I’ll be sending you next week’s schedule within a few hours.”

“Of course, see you on Monday, Nathalie,” he replied with a short wave.

Turning back around, he walked out the front doors of _Gabriel Fashion House_ and into the rain. He looked up at the clouds looming over the city and pulled his jacket’s hood up before going down the stairs and making his way towards his car. There was no need to bother with an umbrella. The rain brought a sense of freedom to his soul, and he would enjoy every second underneath the droplets. Plus, his vehicle was not very far.

Grabbing his keys out of his pocket, Adrien unlocked his car and got in. He ruffled his golden locks after pulling his hood back off his head and placed his bag in the opposite seat. Turning the engine on, he glanced at the clock display that was glowing white numbers in his eyes. “It’s only a little after five, so I should still have time to go grab you more camembert before we go to the apartment. What do you say, Plagg?” Adrien said as he glanced down to the front pocket of his backpack.

The kwami zipped out of his hiding place inside the backpack, yawning but clearly intrigued at the mention of his favourite cheese. He had most likely been sleeping during the last long hours of the photoshoot.

“Do you even have to ask me? Hurry before the shop closes and my poor tummy is deprived of that delicious cheese,” said Plagg, looking more awake as the seconds drawled on.

“Alright, alright, I’m going,” he chuckled and patted the tiny floating black cat’s head.

Pulling out of the parking lot, Adrien drove to the cheese shop and then made his way home.

* * *

After giving Plagg his camembert and putting the rest of the stock in the cupboard, Adrien allowed his mind slowly drifted back to his earlier thoughts during the photoshoot.

Looking out the balcony doors, he watched the rain. Once again, he became entranced by the soft pitter-patter sounds, and the way it made the city’s lights gleam and blur at the same time. He found himself walking out the doors, briefly glancing back to see Plagg had dozed off once again on the counter. _At least one of us gets to nap,_ he thought to himself with a smile forming on his lips.

The air was noticeably more cold than it was earlier on in the night, but that did not bother him. He crossed his arms and leaned them on the railing of the balcony, gazing out to his favourite place in Paris: the Eiffel tower. He was lucky enough to have found an apartment that was available and overlooked the magnificent structure. Perhaps his lucky charm worked its magic that day he had been searching for a new place to call his own.

The relationship between him and his father remained the same after the day he was removed from school. Adrien never received a better explanation as to why he would no longer be attending Collège Françoise Dupont and he stopped fighting for one eventually.

After all these years, Gabriel still treated his son as an employee and kept him confined in that big, empty mansion. Adrien knew he needed to escape, and so when he was old enough, he began looking for apartments and moved out of his childhood home. There had been no point in remaining in the hostile environment. Although, he still had to work for his father’s company under a strict schedule for the time being.

Adrien knew it was time to leave and pick up the pieces of his confined life to find that freedom again, even if it was a slight amount that was granted. So he reluctantly continued being the lead model for his father’s self-titled fashion house and rarely saw the man himself except for during brief periods of time on holidays. How he wished his mother could still be with him, to heal the empty space in his heart that longed for the love of a family. Or maybe it was the love of a certain girl he was still searching for more than anything.

He was never able to keep in touch with the friends he had made during his brief stay at school. His father had seen to it, and unfortunately at the time there wasn’t much he could do other than follow the orders given. Sure, he talked to models most of the time, but they weren’t really friends, just coworkers. Sometimes it got lonely, which was perplexing even to him. You’d think after being confined and left to keep yourself company for years, he would be used to it by now. He had Plagg of course, his little kwami best friend, whom he was beyond grateful for. But still, he craved that human interaction that others received.

Adrien brought his gaze up to the clouds again and closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of the rain and the cool breeze. His grey t-shirt quickly became spotted with light rain drops but he didn't mind. When he opened his eyes again, his sight went to the silver ring on his right hand and he smiled. Being Chat Noir was the one constant in his life he could count on to allow himself to truly be. He and Ladybug were still battling Hawkmoth’s akumas, and they had grown more complex to defeat over the years. The pair went into training together after Ladybug was deemed the new Guardian. It was the ideal solution to strengthening their bond and it certainly helped them prepare for everything thrown their way. The ladybug and black cat miraculous were two halves of a whole after all, and remaining unified was important, even if that meant keeping their partnership platonic —much to his disappointment. Hawkmoth was still a major threat and they needed to remain in sync, even if it meant they had to forget about any identity reveal in the foreseeable future. The safety of their friends and families was too important to them, thus the secrets remained in place.

Adrien heard his phone chime, sending him out of the depths of his thoughts. Pulling it out of his pocket he pressed the home button and saw it was a text from Nathalie —most likely his schedule. Closing the screen he walked back inside, tossing his phone onto the couch in his living room. He could look at that later.

Sighing, he made his way to the kitchen counter where Plagg still lay sleeping on the counter. He nudged his kwami in an attempt to wake him up and got a grumble in response.

“Come on, I’m going for a rooftop run,” said Adrien, ignoring the glare he received from his friend.

Plagg yawned and then smirked. “Can’t wait for your combined patrols to see a certain someone, can you?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” retorted his chosen. He rolled his eyes as he chose to ignore the knowing looks sent his way.

"Oh so _now_ you're in denial? You and I both know the answer to that kid," he pushed. 

Walking back towards his balcony doors, he shook his head and replied. "You and I know that it'll never happen."

This was turning into a conversation he'd rather not have. He didn't want to sort through all the complications of his feelings, even if he knew he was just running from it all.

Without waiting for another response, Adrien stuck his right fist out and called on his transformation.

“Plagg, claws out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! It is short, but I wanted to keep the "Introduction" chapters as detailed but to the point as possible. All the chapters have already been completed, so I will be posting updates once a week on Mondays with the exception that the first two chapters will be posted today. This is my first fanfiction, and I'm excited to share the rest with you!


	2. Fateful Weather Part Two: Marinette's Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Marinette reflects in the rain and tries to keep her feelings bottled up...

Rain.

She senses it before she sees it from the bakery windows, or hears it pattering against the building.

Marinette was never fond of the rain —not until that fateful day years ago.

The one that changed her heart forever, or rather the boy that did.

The day Adrien Agreste walked into her life, only to leave days later.

The memory of it all remained vivid in her mind.

Eight years ago, her class had received a new student on the second day of school. She caught him sticking chewing gum onto her seat and didn’t spare him a glance for the rest of the day. Marinette, at the time, did not know him very well, only that he was the son of the fashion designer she admired the most. He attempted to grasp her attention during classes, but she was not about to give him the time of day after that little stunt. On her way out of school in the early evening, she saw —much to her dismay— that it was raining hard. Even if she ran home she would be completely soaked in seconds. Backing up under the brick awning she sighed, not realizing that Adrien had not left yet. As it continued to pour, he had spoken softly and confessed of his innocence in the situation she was quick to misjudge. He revealed it was his first time attending school and he hoped to make friends for he had none.

Shaking her head softly, she smiled and continued to sweep the tile floor as she recalled the feel of his hand brushing hers while passing her his umbrella. She thought about his laugh, and how it had made her heartbeat elevate. She thought about how she fell in love with Adrien under the protection of his umbrella in the rain, and how in that moment she welcomed the clear drops without a second thought. It had forever changed her mind about the rain, although some days she wished it hadn’t changed her heart. She held onto those feelings for a little longer before grimacing. It hurt sometimes, to think about him. Despite all the time that had gone by, and not having seen or heard from him in years, she still loved him. She was hopeless for that boy.

She wondered how he was doing. They were never able to keep in touch with him. Shaking her head from the inevitable thoughts the rain brought about, she walked up to the bakery door and flipped the sign to _Closed,_ then locked up.

“Another successful day, wouldn’t you say, Tikki?” Marinette said as she shut off the lights and undid the bow in her apron. She hung it up with the others on the wall in the backroom and began walking up the steps to the apartment.

“It certainly was and those macarons looked really good,” replied Tikki. Marinette giggled as her kwami floated onto her shoulder. She went up the last step and unlocked the front door of her home.

“I hope Maman and Papa are fairing well, I really miss them,” she said as she made her way up the stairs to her bedroom.

Marinette lived on her own in her home above the bakery. Her parents moved to China for a job opportunity after her graduation from ESMOD fashion school a year ago. They opened the _Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie_ and have been living there ever since. She calls them every now and again to see how they are doing and update them on how the bakery is going in Paris.

After their departure, Marinette took on her parent's bakery full time, determined to keep their business going. She had to put her fashion designer dream on pause for the time being, but she still squeezed in time to create when inspiration struck. There just wasn’t enough time for both the bakery and designing. As well as that, she needed to put aside as much money as she could in order to start her own company and pay whatever those expenses may be.

To keep things running, she had hired some new employees at the bakery. There was Ben and Samuel who were studying baking and pastry arts in school. They were a perfect fit and very efficient at their jobs. Then on some weekends, Nino came by to help out and earn some extra money if he didn’t have any DJ gigs booked. Sometimes her grandfather dropped by to see how things were fairing, offering his baking tips and tricks. It was nice to have him around, to have some family still in Paris.

“I’m sure your parents are doing just fine, Marinette and you’ll talk to them soon. How are _you_ though? You’ve been working non-stop this month. Are you sure you don’t need a break for a day? I don’t want you to work yourself too hard,” said Tikki as her chosen began looking through her closet.

“I’m fine Tikki. Besides, I have no time to even consider taking a break. People are counting on Marinette at the bakery, Paris is counting on Ladybug, and being the Guardian adds on to the responsibilities. I can’t afford to let anyone down,” she replied and nuzzled her kwami’s head.

Truth be told Marinette was exhausted. Tikki was right, she had been working overtime at the bakery due to Ben and Samuel having to take time off. They had to prepare for an evaluation project at school, which left her mostly on her own. Then there was her patrol nights that took up some evenings, and to top it all off, for some reason Hawkmoth had a nasty habit of having akumas appear in the middle of the night as of late. All in all, it left Marinette feeling very overwhelmed, but thankfully the only one who seemed to notice was Tikki. She didn’t want her parents, friends, and especially Chat Noir to worry about her more than he already did. She was Ladybug for crying out loud, she could handle a few more days. She had done it before when she was younger, although it had ended up with her breaking down in the middle of the park beside her house one day. _No, I will be fine this time,_ she thought to herself.

Tikki smiled sadly at her chosen, knowing full well she wouldn’t be changing her mind on the matter anytime soon. While Marinette changed out of the clothes she wore in the bakery, Tikki flew over to the desk and ate one of the cookies off the plate. As she continued nibbling a chocolate chip, Marinette walked to her chaise in her black pyjama shorts and forest green tank top while braiding her now long hair down her back. She had grown it out during her last year of high school, and has kept it long ever since. She had felt a need for a change back then and found it had suited her more than her signature short pigtails had when she had been younger. She was twenty-two now, after all.

“Ready for patrol, Tikki?” asked Marinette after securing an elastic at the end of her braid. Her kwami flew over to her side and gave an affirmative nod. “As long as you are,” she replied.

“Alright then,” she said while standing up. “Tikki, spots on!”

* * *

Marinette had done more than half of the patrol route that Chat Noir and herself had planned out for that week before she took a small breather on the rooftop of some connected buildings. It was still raining, which didn’t help her endless thoughts. She couldn’t tune anything out. Usually running at night through Paris brought her some sense of calm and order, something she was desperately seeking. The rain hadn’t let up yet, however, and it was a catalyst for unwanted thoughts. The unreachable boy she would never know, an umbrella shared in the rain, and a small look of hope gleaming in eyes that held oceans of sad loneliness.

She thought about the conversation she had with Alya the previous week.

“Girl, can I give you some advice? I know you still love Adrien, but we haven’t heard from him in years. I won’t push you, but as your best friend, I want to look out for you. I think it’s time you found a new love song, don’t you? Are you really happy with holding onto someone who doesn’t know you anymore? Don’t let an opportunity or chance encounter go by. You never know, sometimes things happen in the most unexpected way.”

Of course, Marinette knew Alya was right. She knew her best friend wanted her to be happy. Holding onto Adrien, in her heart, was getting her nowhere and yet she just couldn’t let him go. She just couldn’t shake the feeling of love, safety, home and a _rightness_ that she had felt flow through when she had been near him. It was the same when he spoke to her and when she gazed in his gorgeous green eyes. Those times added up to very few, however. How badly she had wished her stuttering would leave so that she could get to know him better. _He probably doesn’t even remember me at all_ , she thought sadly.

There was one other blond-haired green-eyed boy, or rather _cat_ in this case, that made her feel the same way. If she did decide to move on, she knew she could open her heart up to Chat Noir. _Alright mind, let’s not go there tonight._ It was too confusing. Her feelings were a jumbled mess, spiraling out of control and she was so tired of continuously thinking of it all. It certainly wouldn’t be fair to think of her partner as a second choice. _If only I could ask Master Fu for help, he would know just what to say or do._ Marinette stopped abruptly, realizing with dread what she had just brought herself to think about. There was no way she could talk to Master Fu, even if she wanted to. He was far out of reach, traveling somewhere with no recollection of ever knowing her or the Miraculous. She certainly couldn’t share any of this with her friends or parents either. Oh, how she missed her parents dearly right then as well.

Everything was just too much and so unfair. Life had taken turns she hadn’t expected, nor had she had time to allow to settle in. Marinette clutched her yo-yo, running aimlessly on the rooftop, looking for something within the nothingness that surrounded her mind. _Too much, this is too much._ All she could hear was those words on repeat. When she got to the edge of the last connected rooftop, legs trembling and head too dizzy to carry on, Marinette let herself drop to her knees. The tears she kept in fell freely down her face along with the rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :)


	3. Fateful Nightfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat comforts Ladybug with a song...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....I just had to add this in the chapter. Warning: extreme cliché fluff-singing Chat Noir.
> 
> Here's the song if you want to listen to it while reading this chapter: Come Down by Noah Kahan.

Despite all the thoughts jumbling around in his head, Adrien found comfort and clarity from vaulting around the rooftops of Paris. All the lights created a magnificent scene along with the rain, which was beginning to let up a little. Most citizens were probably sleeping at this hour or in for the night, he assumed, and there were next to no vehicles driving around, which made for a tranquil late night. It was normally like this when he was out at night, with the exception that there were still plenty of akuma attacks at this hour. His sleep schedule remained a mess ever since he was granted his black cat Miraculous, and he was sure Ladybug's was as well. He wouldn't trade it for the world, however. This was freedom, and he would gladly sacrifice some sleep for nights out under the stars. As for the akumas, well, they could just bug off —not that they actually would. _Where did Hawkmoth even get all those butterflies anyways?_

Landing on top of a building close to the school, Chat Noir decided to sit down at the edge of the bricks. It wasn’t his night for patrol; he could allow himself time to stop and let his thoughts take over.

He wondered if he’d catch Ladybug while she was finishing patrol. This was one of the last sections of the route they had mapped out together some evenings ago. They didn’t come out in this particular corner often, but he recognized the shops below. He used to go in them with his mom all those years ago. It was one of their favourite activities, to just browse through the different shops, among other fun things. Shaking his head, he brought his mind back out of the lingering memories. Just as well because his ears picked up the sound of a yo-yo string zipping nearby —a sound he knew all too well.

He watched Ladybug land on a rooftop of connected buildings opposite his. _I guess that answers one of my questions,_ Chat Noir smiled. She was beautiful as ever, even from this distance. He observed her for a moment, before deciding to call out to let her know he was there. She had stopped, seeming to catch her breath. Her ponytail looked soaked and he could see the lights reflecting off her sleek red and black polka dot suit. Although Ladybug's pigtails had changed in favor of the ponytail, their suits didn’t have any obvious upgrades. The only other difference was that Ladybug now had thin gold circles that outlined the black polka dots on her suit. He, on the other hand, had gotten gold outlines on his cat ears and certain sections of his black suit. They also no longer had any time limits on their transformations, which was the best part in his opinion. The days of making a beeline for the nearest empty alleyway before blowing their secret identities were well behind them now.

Chat Noir stood up as she began to take off again, and was about to call her name before she could disappear but stopped in his tracks. His eyes went wide as he watched her hesitate at the edge of the building and fall to her knees, shoulders shaking. He didn’t need his enhanced hearing to know that she was crying. He vaulted over to her with his baton, all concern going to her and only her.

“Ladybug! What’s wrong? Are you hurt? What happened?” asked Chat Noir, as he rushed to her side. _She looked unharmed a moment ago, so it can't be that. Still, I have to make sure._

Ladybug peaked from behind her gloved fingers and watched him crouch down beside her. She opened her mouth to brush him off, tell him she was fine, but all that came out was another wave of sobs. He frowned than reached out and gently removed her hands from her face. She kept her face down as he wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks, which only made way for a fresh stream of her tears as she continued crying.

Chat Noir gently tugged on her hands as he sat down at the ledge, leading her to lean on him, face buried on his chest. She didn’t want him seeing her so vulnerable like this. She was supposed to be the hero of Paris and here she was crying on a rooftop over minor things. It was senseless and she was so embarrassed. 

“Talk to me, Bug. I’m worried, please tell me you’re not hurt,” he murmured, resting his chin on her head and holding her close while his tail wrapped itself around her waist protectively. She shook her head back and forth but kept crying. He was relieved she wasn’t hurt, but he needed to figure out how to calm her down so she could explain what was going on. _Okay, new tactic_. He didn't know if Ladybug enjoyed being sung to, but it was what his mother did to calm him down when he was younger, so he figured this was his best bet. _I've got no other ideas anyways._ Hugging her tight, he rocked them lightly and began to murmur the words of the same song that was sung to him as a boy.

_“I know that you’re so afraid,_

_And it’s getting late, but I’ll stay t’il you come down._

_So close, but you’re miles away,_

_It’ll be okay, ‘cause I’ll stay t’il you come down.”_

She slowly shifted her head in order to peek up at him. Her tears finally slowing down, she remained quiet, his voice lulling her into a state of calm. He locked gazes with her, a soft smile gracing his lips as he continued.

_“And I know it feels like it never ends,_

_And I know the fear that you’re up against,_

_And I know that you’re so afraid,_

_And it’s getting late, but I’ll stay ’til you come down.”_

He finished and was relieved she was less distressed than a minute ago. _I didn’t think that would actually work,_ he thought to himself. He looked down at her, wiping more of her tears from her cheeks. 

“Ch-Chat, it’s not your patrol night, wh-what a-are you do-doing out h-here?” asked Ladybug.

“Well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping to bump into you during your patrol. I know I’m not supposed to use the Miraculous just to come and see you, and I know I do it often regardless of that rule. I won’t apologize for it though and I’m glad I did come out tonight,” he replied. He let out a sigh of relief now that he knew for certain she wasn’t physically in pain. “Can you tell me what happened, now?”

“It’s honestly stupid, don’t worry about me,” she attempted to brush it off, still ashamed he caught her crying.

“It’s not stupid if you’re out here crying like that.”

He tilted her chin up, and she grimaced but still avoided his gaze. “I won’t force you to share, but I need to know you’re okay. I want to hear what you have to say,” he said softly. “And if you want to be left alone, that’s okay too. I’m going to make sure you’re alright before leaving though.”

She finally glanced in his eyes and let a small smile grace her lips at his words despite the sadness reflected in her eyes. 

“I’ll admit, I’m a little embarrassed you saw me this way,” she replied and buried her face on his chest in an attempt to hide. He held her closer, taking her gesture as an indication that she didn’t wish for him to leave just yet.

“There’s no need to be, it’s just me,” he replied. He gently pushed on her shoulders to put enough space between them so he could wipe away the lingering tear streaks from her cheeks.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she braced herself for her next words. “Everything just got a little too much. Sometimes I feel like I have to push through when life gets busy and difficult because that is what others expect from me,” she tells him. "I guess I pushedmyself too hard this time, though." 

“Oh Bug,” his cat ears drooped down after hearing that. “I wished you’d told me earlier that you’ve been feeling overwhelmed. You know you can always come to me, even if I don’t know who you are beneath the mask,” answered Chat while rubbing soothing circles on her back. “I feel like a horrible partner for not seeing it, I’m sorry.”

“Chat. No. It is not your fault. There is nothing to apologize for. I put all the pressure on myself, and I should’ve asked for help when it got too much. I’m sorry for worrying you. I’ll be okay now,” she said. Hopefully, he didn’t catch how she was trying to dismiss the conversation from going any further. The only reason she hoped he wouldn’t find her that night, was to avoid talking about the one thing she could never get out of her mind. Chat didn’t deserve to be hurt again.

He lifted her chin up again, reading her eyes the way he always did and seeing hesitation in them. Then he spotted her fidgeting hands. “Why do I feel like you aren’t telling me everything? Is there something else bothering you?”

Ladybug sighed. He really did know her too well at his point. Her gaze went out to the city once more and he let his hand drop down from her chin. “I just, I don’t know if you want to hear about _him_ right now. I don’t want to hurt you,” she said, her eyes reflecting how broken it made her feel.

Chat hummed, knowing who she was referring to.

“Hey, I will listen to anything you have to say. You know I’m always here for you.”

He leaned his chin back onto her forehead and she listened to his steady heartbeat, figuring out what to say.

“I-I’m not ready to share quite yet,” Ladybug began, sitting up to gauge his expression. 

“Whenever you’re ready, let me know,” he said, giving her a smile.

“And Chat?”

“Yes?”

“I”m not ready to go home yet. Can, I mean, could we, uh, stay a little longer?” she asked, willing a traitorous blush to go away. _It's definitely from all the crying I just did, that's all._

“Of course, I can be here all night if you need,” he responded. They sat there for some time, slumped together. _How can I cheer her up?_ he thought to himself. Then a smirk formed on his lips. Ladybug sat up, sensing the shift in his demeanor.

“You know, it is paw-sitvely claw-ful, M’ladybug, that I have not punned in the past few minutes. I simply cannot go on like this,” said Chat dramatically while throwing a hand on his forehead to add emphasis.

“Oh no, two puns in one sentence, _I_ simply cannot _bear_ it,” Ladybug replied, poking his nose with a gloved finger, deciding to play along with him for once.

“I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear you attempt a bear pun.”

“Now, now don’t get all worked up Kitty,” she retorted and pushed his shoulder playfully. He pretended to fall over, earning a few giggles from her adorable mouth. _Wait what?_

“You wound me, just look at this poor cat.”

“You’ll survive, I’m sure.”

“I don’t know, I probably can’t get up now. Oh, whatever shall I do?”

He made a show of attempting to get up, barely moving off the ground. “Such a dramatic Kitty,” she mused.

“That’s it! I’m doomed to remain on this roof, lying here, with no one but my own company. Such a fate,” he continued on.

Ladybug tried to hold in her laughter as she stood up and continued with the banter, finding she didn’t mind it one bit. _This is bad, his jokes are growing on me._

“I suppose I could help this lazy alley cat out,” she said and held her hand out to him.

“How generous of you,” he replied sarcastically, while the smile he was fighting off became evident.

“I am, aren’t I?”

He grabbed her hand and she hauled him to his feet. “I’ll have you know, that I am not an alley cat,” he said about her earlier comment. He gave a very convincing pouty face to add to the effect as he crossed his arms.

“Hmmm, I’m not convinced,” she said, but couldn’t keep a straight face anymore and let giggles slip through.

Smiling down at her, Chat chuckled. He was surprised she had indulged his silliness, which was only helping him become more enamored with her. Knowing it wasn’t the time to bring up his feelings, however —especially after what she mentioned— he pushed those thoughts down.

“Soooo, you sing huh?” said Ladybug with a little smirk.

“Um, yeah. Sorry about that. I know it was super cliché to sing to you but it’s all I could come up with,” he said while avoiding her gaze and rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. Now that he thought about it, the singing had him cringing.

“Relax, I’m just teasing. It was really sweet, Chat,” she replied smiling sincerely. They looked out at the lights reaching from the Eiffel tower, just as Chat got another idea.

“Come with me, I want to show you something since your patrol is over. That is, if you’re staying out here for a bit longer,” he said and gestured to the side with his head.

Ladybug looked up at him and gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. He grabbed his baton and extended it to the ground, readying himself for the jump to the next roof. She watched him for a moment, intrigued as to what he had in mind. Usually, they sat at the Eiffel tower when they wanted to talk longer —it had quickly become their favourite spot. However, he was facing the opposite direction. He turned around and smiled reassuringly.

“I promise you’ll like it,” he said. With that, she joined him at the edge and he took off through the streets with Ladybug close behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the support and kudos on my story! I'm really glad you're enjoying it so far. See you next Monday for another update!


	4. Fateful Tales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug learns about the legend of the well...

“Here we are, M’lady!”

“Um, where is here, exactly? You know I can't see a thing, right?” She was sure he could tell she was rolling her eyes, even if he wasn't facing her.

After a few minutes of walking down vacant streets, he had steered them in the direction of a pathway inside a park. Still unsure of their destination, Ladybug had a million questions running through her mind. She kept quiet though, knowing he'd likely keep saying she would have to wait and see if she asked where they were going.

They had made it deep into a forest trail, when he stopped abruptly, insisting that she keep her eyes closed from that point onwards. This could only mean they were extremely close to where he was bringing her. To be extra sure she wasn’t peeking, Chat had moved to stand behind Ladybug and covered her eyes with his gloved hands, much to her amusement. He claimed it was to prevent her from tripping over the uneven ground. _Well, he's not wrong there, I usually am a klutz._

Chat had been so excited, he had forgotten his hands were still covering her eyes.

“Oh right! Sorry, I forgot you can't see anything right now,” he said with a bashful look. Removing his hands, Chat went to lean against a tree, arms crossed in front of his chest. He faced Ladybug, wanting to catch her reaction as she looked around.

She rolled her eyes, then stopped short upon seeing where she was. _Whoa._ _It’s so….enchanting here._

Those were the first thoughts that crossed Ladybug’s mind as she took in her surroundings. She definitely hadn't been picturing anything like this. At first, she began suspecting he was just bringing her on a walk, but she was definitely wrong.

The moon was peeking out of the now dispersed dark clouds, giving off enough light for her to see clearly, despite the nighttime. _It also helps that his hands aren’t blocking my view anymore,_ she mused in her mind.

Chat had brought her to what appeared to be a small clearing in the middle of the forest —a secret garden of sorts. At least, it might have been a lovely garden some time ago. It didn't look like anyone had tended to it in years. The grass was well overgrown, vines intertwined all around a small bench with large green leaves sprouting all around. She found herself walking around, listening to the gentle breeze that swept through the trees surrounding the area. There was a small, white gazebo in the center of it all, but the paint looked well worn from who knows how many years of weather. There was no roof on top as it was all opened up to the sky. She noticed the steps were nearly drowned in weeds, and it looked like they had grown through the gazebo floor as well.

Ladybug stopped at the first step, resting her hand against the banister, then turned to Chat Noir.

“Chaton, this is truly…I mean how did you even find this place?” she asked while walking up to him with her hands clasped together over her chest, amazement in her eyes.

He smiled, lowering his gaze to meet her eyes as she stood right in front of him.

“I thought you might like it here,” came his response. “My mother used to take me here when I was younger. It was our secret hideout. Somewhere we could take a break from all the busy schedules. Somewhere I could run around without a care in the world. Somewhere I was free. Or, at least that's what I remember. It's always been that way at home though: no free time, lots of work." He took her hands and turned around, walking backwards and gently pulling her along. “I haven’t been here in years, actually. Seeing how distraught you were tonight, I just, I wanted to share this secret with you. I thought maybe it can be a place that feels safe to you. Where you can let go of all the responsibilities you carry on those strong capable shoulders and breathe. You work so much, and I see how hard you’re being on yourself. I’m here with you, and I understand more than you think. It’s okay to just _be_ for a moment, Bug.” Chat stopped walking in the middle of the clearing, peering into her eyes and hoping he hadn’t crossed any lines.

Ladybug, who had been so entranced by his words, did not realize that he had stopped his backwards-walking, nor that she had tears streaming down her face once again, and bumped right into him. He took a step back, worry in his eyes again as he caught sight of her expression. “Oh! No please don’t cry, I didn’t mean to upset you or overshare about my personal life. I know it's not what we agreed and—”

She launched her arms around him in a tight hug, her face turned to the side, ear pressed against his heartbeat once more, effectively cutting off his rambling. “Thank you Chat, for always being here for me. And I’m sorry I can’t open up to you as much as you’d like —believe me, I wish I could. Please don’t apologize for anything,” she answered quickly, hugging him closer. He draped his arms around her waist, sighing in relief and giving in to her hug. “This place is so wonderful and I am so grateful that you have trusted me with it,” she added.

“Anything to see your smile,” said Chat. He stepped out of the hug and sat down on in the long grass, looking up at her and patting the spot next to him. Ladybug complied and sat down beside him.

"I had no idea you were so busy too, why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"Uh, well, there was no reason to, really. Being Chat Noir is my freedom, and no matter how occupied I might get in my civilian life, I wouldn't trade this for the world. Even if it was to lessen the load," he shrugged.

Her eyes widened at the sincerity in his voice. The Miraculous is his freedom? _Does this mean he walks around with a mask even as his untransformed self? Wait! No. I shouldn't dig for more information. I know better than this._ Shaking her head slightly, she focused her attention back on him. _But still..._

"You mentioned you don't come here anymore, how come?" she prodded.

"...there was no one left to share this place with," he answered, lowering his eyes to the grass he was picking at with his claws.

She observed him, not sure what to make of his response. _No one left to.....oh, oh no._ "Chat, I...," she began, not knowing what to say. He looked up and she placed her hand on his arm in comfort. 

"You don't have to say anything, she passed on a long time ago," he said and put his hand on top of hers. "Although, you seem to be asking a lot of questions M'lady. That's very unlike you," he said and gave a wink in an attempt to lighten the mood once again. "Does this mean I can ask you something?"

"Pfft, you wish," she said and took her hand back.

"I don't know, seems only fair to me," he continued.

"Alright, fine you get one civilian-me related question," she caved.

"Only one? I have so many though!"

"I'm sure you do."

"Hmm, okay how about you tell me what you would do if you had spare time?"

"That's your question?"

"Or you could tell me what it is you couldn't, back on the rooftop," he countered, knowing she wouldn't likely share the second one. 

He had shared a lot, however, and she wanted to return the gesture. _I want to tell him, I just don’t know where to begin._

“Purr-haps from the beginning,” Chat said with a teasing smile.

_Oh, I said that part out loud. Wow, my mind is really out of sorts tonight. Good thing I didn’t blurt out anything embarrassing like how his piercing green eyes make my heart skip a beat, or how the butterflies in my stomach multiplied when I hugged him, or— NOPE, nope, nope. Now is not the time to dwell on those feelings, I’m about to tell Chat of my feelings for Adrien once again._ Taking a deep breath she figured out what she wanted to say.

“Life has gotten very busy and difficult to balance. I love being Ladybug, and its an honour to be the Guardian of the Miraculous—”

“—I’m sensing a but—” interrupts Chat.

“— _yet_ , with my civilian self’s life added on top, recently it all became way too much for me to handle on my own. And I see that now. I thought if I just waited until the week coming up, taking a break would be acceptable because most of my responsibilities would be taken care of. Then I second guess myself, because honestly how are we ever supposed to know when an akuma attack will strike? I can’t relax when I’m constantly worried about when Paris will need me, when they will need us.”

Ladybug spared him a quick glance then fell back in the grass on her back, arms splayed across her stomach. Chat Noir remained quiet, intent on letting her finish everything she had to say before speaking. She looked up at the stars that were beginning to peak through the fading clouds, taking a breath just like Chat had said to do earlier before continuing.

“It was raining today. It sounds silly when I voice it out loud. I’ve never told anyone this before, how the rain brings me deep into my memories. I met the boy I love in the rain. Every time that the skies go grey and those droplets fall around the city, I am reminded of him. This time, however, the thoughts were too overwhelming. I mean, isn’t it ridiculous that I’ve loved a boy I’ve only spoken to once?” _If you can even call incoherent babbling a form of speech_ , she thought to herself. “My friends tell me they wish for my happiness, and that holding onto him is not healthy. And I know they’re right, and I think its come to the point where I want to be ready to move on. There’s no sense in loving someone who doesn’t even know I exist. But the thought of letting him go is so unbearable for some reason. It hurts me deep down and I’m so tired of feeling this way.”

Ladybug took another breath and sighed in relief at the weight being lifted from her shoulders.

“Can I be honest with you, Bug?” Chat asked.

“Of course, always,” she replied, eyes still closed.

“Wanting to move on, is not the same as being ready to move on. You can’t force something like that. I understand where your friends are coming from, but I also am on the same page as you. You’re scared that if you let him go once and for all, you’ll never figure out the mystery of what drew you to them in the first place. You worry that all your efforts will go to waste. Believe me, I know,” he said and booped her nose with his finger, causing her to chuckle awkwardly. 

“Right, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be insensitive about your feelings for me. This is why I didn’t want to say anything,” she began while sitting up abruptly and waving her hands in front of her.

“Don’t apologize. I’m not sorry for how I feel,” he said as he took one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. “I said I wanted to hear what you had to say. I want us to be able to talk more. We’re best friends and I think its high time we start acting like it. Plus, we're kind of in the same boat on the romantic life aspect,” he added with a fond smile. Ladybug ducked her head, hoping to hide the blush forming on her cheeks. She was sure it was visible underneath her mask. _Why are his words making me flustered? This doesn’t normally happen!_

He stood up then, stretching his arms before reaching one down to her, palm outstretched.

“Come on, there’s one last thing I want to show you here.”

“O-okay,” she replied softly and put her hand in his, allowing him to pull her back to her feet. _Oh, and now I'm stuttering, great._

Chat walked around the gazebo, making his way towards the back of it, where a stone well came into view. It was clearly unused and taken over by nature just like the bench. All the vines and leaves came sprouting out from inside the well, the long grass covering most of the base. They walked right up to it, and Ladybug peered inside. It was difficult to see amidst all the greenery, but there appeared to be water at the bottom, most likely from when it rained. She turned to the side, about to inquire as to why he wanted to show her the well, but he beat her to it.

“My mother told me a tale once when we came here together. The legend about this well said to hold great magic inside, magic that intertwines destinies.”

“How does the legend go?” she asks, already intrigued and still a little confused as to why he was showing her the well.

“When you toss a coin into the well, its powers can grant you the ability to find your soulmate. For three days, the red string of fate will become visible to you when you are in the presence of your soulmate,” Chat explains. “On the night of the third day, the thread will begin to disappear and the bond that ties you together fades away. Unfortunately, some never find their soulmates on time. There are elements that can’t be helped, like distance and timing. Sometimes other magic interferes as well.”

“This well can tell me who my soulmate is? That’s pretty intense. Has anyone ever tried it out before?” she asks, turning to face him. She had her chin resting on her fists, elbows propped up against the top bricks of the well.

He leaned sideways on the well and crossed his arms over his chest. “Not that I’ve heard of,” he replied. “Although I can’t deny that I’ve always wanted to try it out myself.”

She contemplated the legend in her head. _Three days to find my soulmate? That’s crazy!_ Although that last part is a little worrisome. _No, this is just a legend, I doubt it actually works….. I am intrigued though._

“What are you thinking, Bugaboo?” asks Chat after she’s remained quiet for some time.

She looked up at him, biting her lip, and looked back down in the well.

“Let’s make a wish.”

“Wait, what?”

Chat Noir looked at Ladybug, who was still gazing down into the well. _She wants to test the legend?_

“Let’s each toss a coin in together. I think it would be the perfect ending to our night, don’t you?” she replied.

“What if the legend turns out to be true though? Are you really ready to find that out?” he asked.

“Are you?”

He contemplated her retort. Perhaps neither of them are ready for a life-altering soulmate encounter, but maybe it was the push they needed. _Wait, why am I overthinking this?_

Unzipping one of his front pockets, Chat took out two coins and handed one to Ladybug.

“You keep coins in your suit?” asks Ladybug, laughing a little.

“It’s my “just in case stash" for emergencies that require money while I’m transformed,” he replied shrugging his shoulders.

“Hmm, not a bad idea, Kitty,” she says while flicking his bell playfully.

He swats her hand out of the way, knowing full well she’s teasing him. “I can take that coin back you know,” he says, but there is no threat in his voice.

They smiled up at each other, then turned towards the well.

“So we toss it in at the same time, yeah?”

“Ready, and go!” says Ladybug.

They watched the coins tumble down among the many leaves and vines, and eventually heard the tiny splash of them hitting the water.

Ladybug stood there for a moment longer, before turning to Chat once more, taking his hand in hers.

“Thank you, Chat, for turning my night around.”

“Anything for you,” he replied, squeezing her hand back.

“I should probably head home now, and so should you, it’s really late.”

He looked over her shoulder to check the time glowing from her yo-yo. “You mean early,” Chat replied smirking.

Ladybug shoved his shoulder playfully and began walking out of the clearing towards the forest pathway. When they reached the entrance, Chat took her hand and bowed down, kissing the back of it and bidding her a good night. She watched him vault onto the nearest roof with his baton, then unhooked her yo-yo to set off to the bakery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a good week! Chapter 5 will be up next Monday :)


	5. Fateful Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien and Marinette find themselves in the library...

Sunlight.

It was streaming through the skylight above Marinette's bed by the time she woke up the next morning.

A welcome change from all the rain yesterday.

Sitting up slowly in her bed, she stretched and yawned, gazing up at the warm light. With no shift in the bakery to get up for, she opted to sleep in longer than usual. The previous night had drained her energy so completely that she had fallen asleep immediately after lying down.

Tikki flew up to the loft bed after hearing her chosen's shuffling around. "Good morning, Marinette! How are you feeling?" she asked while landing on her pillow. Marinette's eyes flitted down to the edge of the blanket and began crumpling it. She seemed to be collecting her thoughts and searching for a response. Tikki had an idea of how she was feeling already, but knew Marinette needed to talk it through some more. And after what had transpired the previous evening, it was clear that she needed to stop pushing herself and take a break. 

“I felt your emotions last night while you were Ladybug. It was difficult not being able to help you through it and I wish I could have done something," continued Tikki, face dropping slightly.

"Oh, Tikki, it's alright. You don't have to be upset about that. To answer your question though, I feel much better than I did the past few weeks," she said and patted her kwami's head lovingly.

"I am glad Chat Noir showed up, and that you were able to talk about it with him. Your bond as partners has grown in strength all these years, and now your friendship has as well. I'm proud of you for opening up more," said Tikki.

"Do you mean our secret identities aren't important anymore?" asked Marinette.

"At some point they will no longer be a necessity. Right now they remain in place simply because the two of you aren't ready for such revelations. When that day comes, you will know. Now that the two of you are older and have gained all this experience, revealing who you are can affect your partnership in a very positive way. Fate has a way of tying the strings together exactly when they need to be entwined."

"Fate, huh?" 

Marinette immediately thought back to the well's legend. It was merely a coincidence that Chat and Tikki both talk about fate. Right? That's all it was, surely. 

"Well, you're right about about one thing, I'm not ready to tell Chat who I am. I still have so much to figure out myself. Besides, it wouldn't be safe right now even if we wanted to," she said while getting out of bed. It sounded more and more like she was trying to convince herself of that last part.

Walking down the stairs to the main floor of her bedroom, Marinette began getting ready for the day.

"What do you plan on doing today since you don't have to work in the bakery? Oh! You could go to the library and pick up that new cookbook you’ve been wanting for a while,” said Tikki with a smile.

Marinette chuckled and glanced at her kwami through the mirror, where she was brushing her hair and beginning to do a half up, half down hairstyle. “I didn't have much in mind actually," she began while grabbing a hair elastic. "The library sounds like a great idea! Plus it's perfect weather to walk there. Maybe I can get some new flowers on the way back here from the shop nearby. Then I can do some sketching later tonight; I’ve really missed it.”

Sketching usually helped clear some of her thoughts out. It was apparent now that she needed clear through her thoughts for her well being, and thankfully she had Tikki to talk to. Talking to Alya about all this just couldn't happen.

With that being said, there was also the matter of her feelings. They were all still a jumbled mess, but that was for entirely new reasons now. She sighed as she continued to get ready. She couldn’t deny how he had made her feel, not anymore. But she quickly wished those thoughts away. Now was not the time to be thinking like that. "You know, I am really grateful Chat was there but I still wish he hadn't seen me crying," she admitted and turned to face Tikki who was hovering at eyesight. 

"There is no need to be ashamed Marinette. He is your partner, and you know how much he cares about you. I'm sure he doesn't think any less of you just because of that. Don't overthink it too much. Plus, you have other things to decipher regarding Chat, don't you," her kwami responded with a knowing look at her last comment. It was more of a statement than a question.

"What do you mean?" she asked, wary of where the conversation was headed.

"Do you think you might be developing feelings for him?"

Marinette's eyes widened at her kwami's boldness. _Oh boy, we're talking about this now?_ _I don't think I'm ready for this yet._

"I, uh I-I'm not sure," she stammered out.

"You can't avoid your feelings forever. I know you love Adrien, and that seeing him suddenly was a lot to take in. but is it possible that you were able to see Chat from a new perspective last night?"

Maybe Tikki was right. When Chat had shown up, yes she was horribly embarrassed but she was also relieved he was there. In the end, she hadn't wanted him to leave. He had been so charming and considerate, even his jokes didn't bother her as they normally would. The butterflies and nerves in her stomach were new as well. Marinette knew what it all added up to, but there was still something holding her back.

"I can see myself falling in love with him but that hardly seems fair to Chat Noir. I've been pushing him away for years because of another boy. I've hurt him so much. What if Chat decides that he's moving on too? We did toss those coins in the well as a symbol of that."

"Maybe you should ask him yourself. Even so, I know you will figure it out. Don't worry too much over it Marinette. I have faith in you," she smiled softly.

With new hope instilled in her, Marinette allowed a smile to bloom across her face at the revelations she admitted out loud. _It took me long enough. I'll have to talk to him during our next patrol, well, assuming we don't see each other during an akuma attack first._

“Don’t forget to call your parents tonight too, I know how much you miss them,” said Tikki, flying to Marinette.

“Thank you Tikki! What would I do without you?”

Standing up, Marinette made her way to the full-length mirror. Glancing at her outfit one last time before grabbing her purse from her chaise, she headed down to the kitchen with Tikki following close behind. She decided to go with a pair of high waisted jean shorts she designed. The end of the shorts had been rolled up twice, and one of the back pockets had her _M_ signature logo stitched on small. The belt she chose was a white ribbon —which had recently become her favourite accessory to style with. A little creativity did go a long way. Her top was a black slightly baggy t-shirt with rolled-up sleeves. She tucked it in her shorts to keep the bow around her waist visible. The shoes she had gone for were a pair of black ballet flats.

After grabbing some cookies for Tikki and putting them in her purse, she gently put her kwami inside as well.

Smiling, she opened the front door and stepped outside into the sunny day.

* * *

“Do you realize how amazing today could be, Plagg?”

“What? Is today an important day? Are we going to the cheese shop?”

Adrien chuckled at his kwami, shaking his head. “No, I just got you a whole new stash yesterday evening. You don’t need more.”

“I can never have enough cheese, Adrien,” responded Plagg, crossing his tiny arms in front of one another.

Adrien had received a text from Nathalie earlier that morning, explaining that he had a day off due to the photographer having to cancel the session. Thus, there was no photoshoot to attend. He had his first day off —which was unheard of— and he was free to do whatever he wanted. If that included possibly searching for his soulmate among other things, then there was no one stopping him. Not that anyone knew that, of course. It was odd that his father hadn't just hired a replacement photographer for the day, but he decided to ignore that detail for now.

He was currently walking towards the library, a light skip in his step as he basked in his freedom. Hiding his excitement at this point would be futile.

“I’m talking about finding my soulmate. How amazing would that be? I just need to keep an eye out for the red string of fate the next three days."

“You really think you’re going to find your soulmate, don’t you? Just don’t get your hopes up too high, Adrien. You know meddling with matters of the heart can become complicated. It is a legend after all and we don’t know if it will even work,” states Plagg. "Besides, I thought you loved Ladybug." He had asked, although Adrien knew it wasn't a question.

“Careful Plagg, I might start to think you're worried about me," said Adrien with a teasing smile, looking down in the hidden pocket of his jean jacket where his kwami resided.

“Pfft I am not! You’re just reading too much into it,” huffed Plagg, who obviously was concerned for his chosen. He heard all about last night's encounter once more between Chat Noir and Ladybug, as if he wasn’t there already —which he was— and knows Adrien is convinced that Ladybug has begun letting her guard down even more around him.

 _"I'm telling you Plagg, there was something different in her eyes. She even joined in on my teasing._ _I think she might be finally falling for me!"_ That had been what his chosen had told him before falling asleep.

"I do love Ladybug and I probably always will, but maybe it's time for me to move on too," he responded to his kwami's earlier question. "I know what I said to you last night, but now that I've had time to think about it, I know I'm just getting my hopes up as usual."

Plagg knows that no matter what, the users of the black cat and ladybug miraculous are destined soulmates. He wasn’t about to tell Adrien that and get his hopes up more than they already were, however. Even if they hadn’t tossed a coin in the well of soulmates, their paths would lead to one another eventually. The legend will only boost their sight….actually that might not be such a bad idea seeing as the two heroes were an oblivious pair. He just hoped that their coming together won’t happen in a disastrous way; he was the god of destruction and that power transferred onto Adrien as well. 

“Don’t worry Plagg, I’m sure everything will be fine. It's all in fate's hands, that is, if all this about the legend is true.”

Adrien began walking up the steps to the front door of the library, hoping he doesn’t look too giddy on the outside. 

“Remind me why we’re going into a library of all places during your free time?” asked Plagg.

“I’m going to search for books about soulmates. I want to learn more on the subject and maybe see if there’s any information on the legend from the well,” responded Adrien. “Now keep quiet, people might hear you.”

Plagg rolled his eyes but said nothing more. Walking past the front doors, Adrien made his way through the first row of shelves, aimlessly browsing all the titles he could see. His mind drifted once again.

It broke his heart to see his Bug so sad and distraught. Although she’s mentioned this “other boy” multiples times while rejecting his efforts to woo her, there was something different in the way she spoke about him. Maybe she really was moving on from that guy, maybe… _maybe I should stop thinking about_ _wether_ _or not I have a chance with her and give her the space she needs,_ he chastised himself. _Besides, I am trying to move on as well, right? I understood what she meant last night though —moving on is daunting when its from all you’ve known for years._ Why was this always so complicated when it came to the two of them?

He huffed, shaking the thoughts from his mind before finding the aisle he was looking for and began scanning the book titles. Picking up one from the top shelf that caught his eye, Adrien turned it to the backside to read the summary of the book’s contents. _This looks pretty good, although I may have to search the internet for information about the well._ He looked over the other titles one more time, making sure he didn’t miss anything, than turned around quickly to head to the nearest computer. In his haste, Adrien failed to notice the young woman walking directly in his path.

* * *

Marinette excitedly flipped through the cookbook she had picked up. There were so many recipes to learn that looked delicious. She would definitely need to make a trip to the grocery store after planning her meals for the week. Content with her find, she passed by the numerous row of aisles on her way to the front, stopping in her tracks at the book genre title for an adjacent aisle. _New Age_ was written on the paper, along with an arrow directing to some shelves containing said books. _Hmm, would soulmate books be filed under there?_ A quick look won’t hurt, she thought to herself. She was not sure why she was becoming ever curious about this topic again. Chat had explained everything she needed to know about the well, though she doubted she had use for it. Yet, she let herself wander up to the shelves in her own world.

She failed to notice the young man coming around the corner until it was too late.

They collided together, his chin hitting the top of her head and her nose smacking into his chest before the force sent her backwards, tumbling over her feet. She closed her eyes, bratcing for the impact she knew all too well.

Adrien grabbed her waist, breaking her fall, and was about to apologize profusely when her eyes flew open. He stood there frozen in place. Certainly he'd seen those bright blue eyes before. They called to him and he tried to break through the barrier, but more he thought about it, the less it allowed him to piece it together in his mind. 

Marinette had gone rigid upon locking gazes with a blond boy that often occupied her thoughts. There was no mistake; she’d recognize him anywhere. You don’t spend years in love with someone and not know if it's them when they are right in front of you. Even if she hadn’t seen him since they were teenagers, there was just no overlooking it. He was there and she was freaking out.

“A-Adrien?!” she exclaimed. This is too good to be true.

His eyes widened, recognition taking shape in them, and his lips parted in surprise. It all clicked into place. They stood there, staring for what was probably only a few seconds but felt like an eternity.

It was definitely him. She couldn’t move, couldn’t look away from his green eyes, as she tried to process the strange sensation that coursed through her. His fingers were still caressing her waist and his green eyes bored into hers like he was trying to read her soul. It felt like time had stopped. Maybe it had.

“Mari—”

“— _AKUMA ALERT! EVERYONE IS ASKED TO PLEASE HEAD TO THE CLOSEST SAFE-ZONE WHILE LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR TAKE CARE OF THE AKUMATIZED VICTIM,_ ” blared an automated voice through the speakers in the library, completely interrupting Adrien.

Before he could get anything more out, Marinette scrambled to release herself from his grip hastily. She ran to the nearest exit, leaving behind a very confused boy.

She made her way to an empty and hidden alleyway, cheeks coloured bright red in disbelief from the encounter. _Oh my gosh, ohmygoshohmygosh_ _was THAT?!….did that just happen... and I saw him finally and he’s still gorgeous and….wait!_ There was no time to think about what just happened, Paris needed Ladybug. _I will scream into my pillow later._ After reassuring Tikki that she was fine for the time being, she called on her transformation.

Meanwhile, Adrien had remained in the aisle, still shocked, and holding the book she had dropped on the floor. 

"Earth to Adrien! Hellooooooo! There is an akuma genius," said Plagg while waving his paws in front of his chosen's face. 

"Uh, right," he responded still sounding dazed. He shook his head to try and get some sort of clarity and went to find a place to transform.

In the midst of their shock, both failed to notice the red string of fate appearing for the first time around their ring fingers. As more distance was put between them, the string grew longer, eventually disappearing from view with no trace left behind.

* * *

"Pound it!"

The akuma had been the least threatening one that Ladybug and Chat Noir had fought in years. However, with her feelings for her partner currently on the front of her mind, Ladybug had found it especially difficult to focus. He really had grown into a handsome young man. _A handsome and distracting man,_ she thought with slight annoyance. Oh, and there was the fact that she had run into Adrien Agreste earlier. No big deal.

"Chat. Do you have a minute? I wanted to talk—"

She turned to face the spot her partner had been occupying, only to find he was already leaping across buildings. They had just finished talking to the akumatized victim and the press, and had sought some privacy on a nearby rooftop. She had turned around to watch the gathered crowd below dissipate while collecting her thoughts. After gathering her courage she had spoken up before she could change her own mind. Apparently she had been too deep in her thoughts to notice his departure.

"Huh. Bye?" she said to herself, a little confused about why he was vaulting away so quickly. It's not like they had time limits on their transformations anymore, plus Chat always wanted to stay longer after akumas. So it was especially peculiar that he had left in such a hurry. He had been distracted during the battle, much like she had been. Maybe he had matters to attend to. Akumas did tend to pop up at the worst time. 

Ladybug deflated a little. She had wanted to confront her partner about the their feelings —well, her feelings, that is. She also wanted to talk about everything that happened last night, and as a result had been a nervous wreck leading up to this point. _Well, I suppose it can wait until patrol,_ she thought, still disappointed. She hadn't been expecting to be able to talk to him so soon anyways.

During her walk to the library, Marinette had contemplated on her feelings and entertained the notion of how a relationship would actually work between the two. She was at odds with that little voice in the back of her mind. It kept telling her she shouldn't bother, that he'd never want a girl who'd rejected him time and time again. Of course, she would have to prepare herself for some kind of rejection —it was to be expected after all. But then she thought back to how he held her and cared for her last night. There were all the stolen moments during battles and patrol as of recent that surfaced as well, and she couldn't deny the swoop of butterflies that filled her when she remembered the brief brushes of his lips on her hand. _He does still love me, doesn't he? Ohhh I've messed up big time!_ She shook her head at herself. 

Then there was the whole seeing —or rather bumping into— Adrien situation that had transpired not too long ago. Not that she has forgotten. How could she as it replayed in her mind repeatedly. Her head was beginning to form a small ache just thinking about it all. Perhaps it's for the best that this conversation had to wait.

Crouching down behind a large billboard on the roof, she let her transformation drop and got a cookie out of her purse for Tikki.

"Did you talk to him?" she asked between bites.

"He was gone before I could get a word out. I wonder why he's in such a rush," she replied and gazed out to the direction he left in.

"He must have been in the middle of something important if he left this early," remarked Tikki.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking."

"Okay, I'm ready to go now! Are we still going to the florist?" she said and zipped out of Marinette's purse. 

"Yes, and I thought we could go to the grocery store as well, because I really want to try that one recipe I saw for tonight's dinner—" she froze, hand in her purse, as she realized there was no book inside.

"Oh, great! I must've left it on the ground after I ran into Adrien. I suppose we could go back to get it and then do everything else."

After transforming again to get off the roof, and only releasing it when she was in a secluded alley, Marinette made her way back to the library. She went straight to the _New Age_ aisle, hoping the book it was still on the floor or even placed somewhere nearby. With no luck, she went back to the place she had originally taken it from off the shelves, but found it to still be missing. To her upmost disappointment, the librarian at the front desk notified her the book she was searching for had been checked out by someone around an hour ago. _So much for that._

Sighing, she left the library, deciding to forgo looking at the other cookbooks available and moved onto the rest of her day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	6. Fateful Mischance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Adrien and Marinette learn they should watch where they're walking...

When Adrien had set out to learn more about soulmates, and possibly even find his, he definitely did not account for the surprise run-in in the library. Literally.

Being confined to a strict schedule and barely having time to go out, he always thought he’d just be alone and never see any of his classmates after the day he left. It’s not like he could stay in touch with them either because his father had banned any form of contact with them. Plus, his phone was always monitored, so eventually he accepted his fate. Sure, there were plenty of models he could make friends with, but none of them presented themselves genuinely during conversations. He wished for real friendship.

It certainly was a pleasant surprise to see her after all this time, and he was 99% sure it was her. There was no mistaking those blue eyes, her dark hair and of course, her clumsiness. Although, this time it was both of them being clumsy. He was still worried there was a possibility he had imagined it. No, it had to be her. And after that brief encounter, Adrien was determined to find her again. He wasn’t about to let her go again. And now he was starting to sound desperate. Perfect.

Did she even know it was him? She probably has forgotten all about him, but he was determined to find his first friend again. Now that he thought about it, he had a pretty good idea of where to begin his search.

She had run away from him after the akuma alert, leaving behind the book she had in her hands. Well, it had been in her hands until they collided. Adrien decided to pick it up and proceeded to check it out of the library as part one of his plan. He was going to bring it to her and hopefully it would help to start up conversation. He remembered how shy she could be.

At the moment he was playing one of his favourite pieces on the piano. The sun was out for the second day in a row and it left him feeling hopeful and filled with warmth. Plagg on the other hand, was a grouch as usual.

"I'm starving and you hid my cheese. Where is it?" said a very well-fed Plagg.

"You just ate five minutes ago, you can't be this hungry! This is exactly why I hid the rest of your camembert," responded Adrien, exasperated. He got up from his piano stool and made his way to the kitchen. Plagg was flitting through the cupboards in a desperate search.

"I can't believe you. There's more to do in here than just eating you know?"

"Well what's the fun in that?"

"Okay, I'm not talking about this anymore."

Plagg grumbled some more but Adrien knew it was only half-hearted. Rolling his eyes, he walked up to the kitchen counter and picked up the cookbook to bring it along with him.

"Are we going to go see your girlfriend now?" asked the smirking kwami.

"Ha, ha, very funny. And yes, I'm going to give this to her. It'll be a good ice-breaker."

Making his way out of his apartment and throwing his black jean jacket on over his dark green t-shirt, he headed in the direction of the _Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie_. Putting his sunglasses on, he checked to see if anyone was around before whispering to the kwami in his front pocket.

“Plagg, do you think this is a good idea?” he asked.

“You’re having second thoughts already? Adrien, you’ve been waiting for the day something like this would happen. And besides, any girl who lives in a bakery is definitely someone you want by your side,” replied Plagg.

Adrien shook his head in amusement. “How could I forget that you only think with your stomach.”

Contemplating his plan one last time and deciding to go through with it despite his nerves, he quickened his steps as a resolve. He couldn't shake the inexplicable feeling he got when he thought of her, even though he barely knew her at all. He frowned at the thought. That was something he wanted to change, and hopefully, she'd be willing.

 _I’ve missed you, Marinette._

* * *

Marinette was in the bakery, preparing an order of pastries that had been requested for a birthday party.

Sketching hadn't gotten her anywhere the previous night, even though it usually helped clear her mind. All her hand seemed to draw was her handsome partner over and over again. Before going to sleep she had phoned her parents. She was very glad that the bakery was doing so well out where they were, and she was so happy to talk to them. Hopefully a trip could be organized in some time —she still missed them like crazy.

She had been relatively calm that morning, until her mind decided to go into overload. Now, she was babbling to Tikki non stop as the situation seemed to fully register. It was good that she could finally address it all, but her kwami hadn't been prepared for the outburst in the slightest. 

“I ran into Adrien Agreste in the library and then I ran away without saying anything…OHHH TIKKI THIS IS A DISASTER!”

Nino was working the front part of the store, greeting clients and ringing through their orders which left her alone in the back with her kwami. She had even closed the door for good measure. The worse that could happen is he would just assume she was talking very loudly to herself.

“Marinette, don’t you think you’re exaggerating just a little bit?” said Tikki, who was well accustomed to her chosen’s ramblings. She had observed Marinette the previous evening, ready to offer any words of advice if need be. However, she had only begun truly freaking out about Adrien when she began work the following morning, which was now. She wondered what it would be like to read her thoughts. On second thought, maybe it was better to just let her spew the words out. 

“I just, I just don’t understand why this is happening now. I threw a coin down a well as a symbol of moving on from him, and the next day I bump right into him! Sure, moving on takes time and it wouldn’t have been easy, but it certainly makes it a whole lot more difficult after seeing him for the first time in years. I mean seriously? What am I supposed to do now? He probably didn’t even recognize me, so maybe there isn’t any point in dwelling on the matter any further. And chances are if he’s as busy as he was back then, there’s no way I’m likely to see him again.”

Marinette huffed, rolling out the dough she had mixed for some cookies.

“It’s not like he could ever be interested in someone like me anyways. I know things change over the years, and I mean he has grown a lot, clearly because _wow_ he is even more gorgeous, but I was just a friend back then. Maybe it's best if it stays that way.”

She finished rolling the dough evenly and got her cookie cutters out from the drawer. Tikki hovered down in front of Marinette, waiting patiently for her to be done speaking her mind. “I must be ridiculous to still be holding onto this right? How pathetic,” she said and her face drooped, staring at the star shape cutting into the dough.

“Marinette, you are amazing, inside and out. Whoever you decide to let in to have the chance to see that will be very lucky. You are dedicated to your heart, and although sometimes that can lead to outcomes you don’t always expect, I believe that this encounter has opened a door for you. Don’t overreact when you haven’t seen where this will go. Who knows if you’ll see him again, but the main thing is that if you do, you decide on what you truly want and you go for it. Don’t let him pass you by a second time. Fate has a funny way of coming into peoples lives when they least expect it. Keep your eyes open and trust in yourself,” answers Tikki, smiling up at Marinette.

“Thank you, Tikki. You always know just what to say, even if it does sound like a coded message sometimes. I guess I’m just confused and I wish I could talk to Chat,” she replied while hugging her kwami to her cheek. “I’ve been pushing him to the side for years and I know that’s what I don't want to be doing anymore. Plus everything seems to be happening all at once, I need a sign to lead me down the right path.”

“It will all work out as it should; don’t worry too much on it. You don’t want to over exert your mind again like the other night. I don’t like seeing you so sad,” said Tikki.

“I know, and you're right. I shouldn’t worry over something that can't be helped right now. Thank you for listening though, Tikki," she smiled at her kwami. Rolling up her sleeves once again, Marinette grabbed one of the empty oven trays and began placing the cookies on it.

"Alright, enough boy talk, let’s finish this order up!”

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Tikki.

An hour later, the rest of the cookies from the order were baked, cooled and iced. Marinette folded up the cardboard boxes they had for deliveries and carefully placed the treats inside. She stacked the three full boxes on the counter she cleaned off and went to grab her purse. Nino and the other two boys usually handled the doorstep delivery service the bakery provided, but Ben and Samuel were off for the day and Nino was managing the front of the store. This left the task to Marinette, who was still prone to tripping at the worst times. The birthday party was being held in the park next door, however, and was within perfect walking distance to avoid certain disaster.

She took off her apron and grabbed the order slip, taping it to the box on top of the stack and then gathering them in her arms. She made her way to the front and deposited the cookies from her grasp onto the counter next to the register.

Nino had just finished serving a customer as he turned his head to give her a smile.

"How's it going out here, Nino?"

He turned around and grinned. "Super! Oh, are you looking for the receipt for the order? I printed it earlier and left it in the drawer under the register for you."

"You're the best, thank you!"

She found the receipt and tucked it in her purse beside Tikki.

"You sure you'll be able to carry that Nette? I can always—"

"I'll be fine, no need to worry," she cut him off before he could finish his sentence, knowing full well what he was going to say.

He held his arms up in surrender but smirked, giving away his amusement. "Alright, if you say so clumsy."

Marinette pouted and picked the boxes up again. Making her way to the front door, she turned back around, leaning on the glass.

"It's just three boxes and the party is right out there. Are you sure _you'll_ be fine here for a few minutes?"

"Please, I've got this covered," replied Nino. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking like he was trying not to laugh.

"You have such little faith in me," she said with a flat look. "I only dropped an order once—"

"—five times, actually—"

"—and it's just cookies this time not a cake," she retorted while pointedly ignoring his added commentary.

"Alright then, have fun! Look both ways before crossing the road and don't run into anyone," he sing-songed, giving his back to her as he made his way to the backroom to get more pastries.

Marinette rolled her eyes and shook her head a little. _You drop a cake once._

Huffing, she checked her grip on the boxes and pushed the door open with her hip, smiling as she looked up at the sun.

 _Another beautiful day,_ she thought to herself and began walking to the side of the bakery.

* * *

"You really should have just driven over to the bakery. Walking is taking so much longer than necessary."

"Says the kwami who isn't even walking."

Although Plagg had a point, he still had to disagree with him. If anything, driving would have attracted even more attention than he wanted. And he wanted none at all. Being a famous model was very frustrating most days.

Adrien had decided to walk to the _Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie_ and enjoy the sun while he could. The rain was unpredictable lately, and he would take advantage of the nice weather as much as possible. Plus, his car parked outside the building would have potentially rallied in a crowd. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Marinette away with a bunch of people watching them. He really had no way of knowing how this was going to play out. _Hopefully a lot more smoothly than in the library,_ he thought.

"Okay, but you also could have just transformed and taken the rooftops instead," continued the very impatient black cat. 

"Why would you even suggest that? You hate when I transform for no reason," retorted Adrien.

"Hmm, you're right, I do."

Adrien smacked his forehead in exasperation. _Now I'm just confused._ "You're impossible sometimes," he muttered. "The point of walking was that I assumed it would gather the least amount of attention."

"Clearly, you thought wrong."

"I never planned to get stopped by so many people," he said defensively.

That was the one thing that Adrien hadn't accounted for. Civilians had gathered and asked for pictures upon seeing the young man. Naturally, he wanted to be polite and oblige them, so he stayed until the small crowd dissipated. He was lucky he hadn't caught the attention of any reporters, lest they take up more of his time. 

"Anyways, it doesn't matter now because I'm a block away from the bakery," said Adrien, who was taking rather large strides in his haste. _I really hope she's there, otherwise I'll have to ask her parents._... _and t_ _hat's not awkward at all,_ his mind taunted him.

"You're practically running now; are you that excited to see her? Sheesh, you've got it bad kid," said Plagg.

Adrien looked down at his kwami with a frown while continuing to walk. "You seriously confuse me so much. You tell me to hurry up, so I do. Now that I'm rushing, you tell me to slow down. Are you just messing with me, or—"

"Oof!"

He had been so focused on Plagg he had forgotten to actually watch where he was walking. For the second day in a row, Adrien had seconds to react, grabbing the wrist of the person he nearly just knocked over. Boxes toppled to the ground as he began apologizing profusely. "Wow, I am so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and I was in a hurry. I should've been paying—"

He looked into a pair of bright blue eyes and instantly stilled.

"Marinette?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...meanwhile Tikki is thinking "well, she wanted a sign" in Marinette's purse.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	7. Fateful Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where an opportunity presents itself...

His green eyes widened as he registered the girl he was holding upright. _It's her!_

Her lips were parted and her blue eyes were wide as his. "Adrien!?" came her shocked response.

 _This must be some kind of hallucination_ , she thought to herself. _I can't be_ this _lucky_. He had said her name though, which meant it had to be real life. _Wait...he said MY name?! Oh my gosh he knows who I am? How is this happening to me?_

Shaking her head to clear her mind from the onslaught of excessive thoughts that were about to consume her, she glanced down and remembered the boxes of cookies that had tumbled to the ground. _Oh great, and I just told Nino I wouldn't drop anything,_ her mind grumbled. 

A light blush was dusting her cheeks as she took her wrist out of his grasp. He flexed his hand, a light blush creeping onto his cheeks at the contact. Then the blood drained from his face as he noticed it. He blinked several times to make sure it was real and his lips parted slightly in surprise. There, bolded by the sunlight, was the red string of fate tied onto Marinette's finger. His eyes snapped to his hand, right where the other end of the string was resting. As the gears were spinning rapidly in his mind and his eyes widened once more, the world seemed to vanish around them. All he could see was her and this new revelation of fate. All those years he spent thinking about her when it rained and wondering why he was so drawn to the quiet girl with the pig tails when he had his heart set out for Ladybug, was because they were destined for each other. _Marinette is my soulmate! How did I miss the string yesterday? Wait, this means the legend is true!_ Then his mind came to an abrupt stop as he realized something. Only those who tossed the coin can see the string for three days. _She can't see the string._

He deflated, just as she cleared her throat rather awkwardly. That seemed to snap him back to reality. Remembering the fallen boxes, Adrien bent down to his knees before she could, beginning to gather them and stacking them in his arms. _Help now, worry about how complicated this all just got later._

"Oh, you don't have to do that," she said, feeling bad for not having gotten to them before him.

"I insist; it's no big deal," he dismissed, now standing in front of her again. "I really am so sorry about this, I keep running into you," he said and offered an apologetic smile.

"No, no, it's really okay. It was my fault, not yours. I should've looked before turning the corner," she said while waving both hands in front of her.

They looked at each other a few seconds more, and Adrien started laughing. "We have got to stop meeting like this!"

Marinette, still in a little bit of a shock, cracked a smile and began laughing too. _He does have a point_ , she thought to herself.

"You're right, we really do," she responded and gave a small chuckle.

"I hope there wasn't anything breakable in these," he said, jutting his chin towards the three packages.

"It's an order of cookies I'm delivering to a birthday party in the park over there," she pointed to the side. As she examined the outside of the boxes quickly, she found that they looked surprisingly intact despite the fall. "They seem fine, but I should open them and check on the state of the cookies, just in case."

Adrien nodded his agreement and spotted a bench a few steps away. "I'll put them down here for you," he said while walking over.

She approached said bench and began opening the boxes and scanning the contents. Her brows furrowed at what she saw. "Huh, none of the cookies are broken. They still look great," she said, admittedly confused. _Maybe some of my luck rubbed off here,_ she concluded to herself.

"That's good then, right?" he stated more than asked, and closed the boxes before stacking them again.

She brought her hands out to take the boxes from him but he shook his head and held them up higher. Marinette looked up at him, confused. 

"Let me help you bring these. It's the least I can do after yesterday and just now," he offered.

"Oh, no, you don't have to. I wouldn't want to take you away from your busy schedule," she said decidedly. 

Instead of answering her, Adrien began walking towards the park she had pointed at not long ago, ignoring her protests.

"I'm not busy at all! Actually, I came to see you," he admitted, still facing away from her and heading across the intersection. She had reluctantly began following him, but that statement had her stopping short in disbelief. 

"M-me?!" she blurted. _Okay, now I know I must be dreaming,_ she thought to herself and then proceeded to pinch her arm in order to wake herself. _Why isn't this working?!_

He turned around and raised an eyebrow at her as she quickly dropped her hands to her sides.

"Are you coming?" 

"Y-yeah," came her lame attempt of an answer.

Picking up the pace in order to walk beside him, she shoved her nerves down and focused on the task at hand.

They entered the park together and took in their surroundings. The space was completely decorated for the event. Trees had bunting hanging from branch to branch, there was a big _Happy Birthday_ sign on attached to two lampposts, bunches of balloons with weights to hold them down spread out everywhere, and tables with food laid out on them for the taking. Kids where running around, playing games and shouting in delight, wearing little party hats. 

Marinette turned to Adrien, and smiled when she saw his look of awe. 

"This is so cool!" he exclaimed. "I've never been to one of these."

"Never been to a birthday party in the park?" she asked confused.

"No, I've never been to a birthday party, or had one myself," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

At that, she met his gaze as disbelief painted her features. He noticed the look in her eyes and realized he probably shouldn't have blurted that so randomly. Not wanting any pity from her, Adrien quickly added, "It's alright, there wasn't any time for them." He put on his best attempt at a smile to add emphasis on his words. _Why did I have to go and say that? Good job Agreste, you ruined the mood already._

She scanned his eyes, not believing a word he was saying. _He's never had a party? Just how alone was he?_

His eyes darted away from hers, giving away how he truly felt about it. Deciding not to pry anymore than she already had, Marinette focused once more on why they were there.

"Can you set those boxes on one of the tables over there while I go give the host the receipt for their order?" she asked.

"Not a problem," he replied, taking the escape she was providing gratefully.

Marinette made her way over to the parents hosting the party and handed the bill to them. She made some small talk, but her eyes kept drifting over like magnets to the blonde boy who was accompanying her. She smiled softly when she saw he was bent down with a cookie box open in his hands. He was offering them to a young boy who was jumping up and down excitedly. _How is it that I have only just seen him for the first time in years and he already has me melting for him?_ She was still overwhelmed and had a lot of questions she wanted to ask him. Maybe she could find the courage to ask them after this was taken care of.

"Is that young man with you?" asked the lady talking with Marinette.

"Yes! I mean n-no! I mean we're together but not together together," she rushed out the words and mentally cringed at herself. _Together together?_

The lady smiled knowingly and laughed while Marinette chose to ignore it. 

"I better get back to the bakery. Have a lovely day and tell your son happy birthday from me and my family!" she said.

"Thank you for delivering the cookies, it was a big help."

Turning towards the food tables again, she made her way to Adrien. She caught his gaze and motioned for him to follow her to the front gates. 

"Everything taken care of?" he asked when they were walking side by side again.

"Yes, and thank you for helping even though you really didn't have to," she said.

Stopping beside the bakery, he smiled at her and responded, "It was my pleasure."

"Well, I should probably get back to work. I left Nino in there by himself, and I need to get more baking done before we close the shop. I guess I'll be seeing you around?" she started to say while walking backwards to the door. She didn't know why she was getting really nervous all of a sudden. She knew he probably didn't mean what he said earlier and was just walking by this area. Not wanting to say goodbye but knowing he'd walk away from her, she turned herself around first.

"Wait!"

Adrien came up behind her and took her hand in his, spinning her back around. _Not again. I will not loose her again._

"Please wait, Marinette."

"Adrien?" she managed to stumble his name out, her eyes wide once again.

"I came to the bakery today hoping I would find you here. I wanted to give you this receipe book you dropped in the library. I checked it out for you."

He took the book out of his bag with one hand, the other still holding hers, and presented the cookbook to her.

"Oh, thank you! That's very kind of you," she said and took it from his grasp with a smile.

"The other thing, was that I was going to ask if you'd like to take a walk with me this evening?" he asked, becoming very nervous suddenly. _What if she says no? We don't even know each other, really, and she might not want to know me at all._

Meanwhile, Marinette was having her own mental questioning overload. _He asked me to walk with him tonight. Just the two of us. Walking. Together. Is this a date?! This seriously can't be real. What do I do?_

When she looked up at him and realized she was taking too long to respond, she felt bad. The hopeful look that had settled on his face was slowly disintegrating. _That won't do._

"Yes, I would love to go on a walk, Adrien."

He smiled wide at that and immediately started to plan it out.

"Perfect! I'll stop by at half past five if that's alright with you," he said.

"That works for me," she answered and walked to the bakery door, letting her hand drop from his. Her eyes trailed down to it for a second.

He went to leave, to let her go back to work, but she had frozen on the spot.

"Are you alright, Marinette?" he asked, worried she'd changed her mind.

In that moment, she wasn't able to respond. She desperately wanted to get words out, but she couldn't. As if everything that had happened so far that day hadn't been enough, this was just the cherry on top. Standing right in front of her, was the man she loved and on his finger, was the red string of fate. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos from the past few chapters :)  
> See you next monday for another update!


	8. Fateful Promenade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette continues to daydream...

Dreaming.

Yes, that's what it was; she had to be dreaming.

"Nette?"

She was having an unfathomable dream.

"Helloooooo?"

It had to be a figment of her imagination.

"Are you serious right now?"

It was all a beautiful scene her imagination had procured. That had to be it.

"MARINETTE!"

"GAH, what, what!?" she exclaimed, jumping away from the window she had been looking through unseeingly and assuming a fighting stance habitually. Blinking away the daze she had been in, she looked from side to side, and eased up her position when she realized there was no imminent danger nearby. What she did see, however, was the very unamused gaze Nino was directing at her. 

"Nino! Don't scare me like that," she said and put a hand over her still racing heart, all while taking calming breaths.

"Nuh, uh, don't give me that. I've been trying to get your attention for ten minutes now. _Ten minutes!_ What on earth had you so unreachable?"

"You know, every day you sound more and more like Alya. You know that right?" she teased. 

He gave her a flat stare and she dropped her smile into a cringe. _Okay, he must be in a rush._

"Sorry, Nino. I was lost in thought. I honestly had no idea you were standing there. What did you need?" she amended and his face softened into concern.

"Everything alright? You haven't been that far gone in space since high school," he observed, putting a hand on her shoulder. 

"It's really nothing," she waved him off and stepped back towards the counter in the back of the shop. They had closed for the day with some successful few hours of sales. Marinette had done her best to stay focused enough to complete the baking she had left to do. She had been doing a good job of remaining level-headed, right up until the doors were locked and she had walked to the window. That's when she had drifted off into her mind. She hadn't told Nino about the events that transpired that afternoon, worried about what he would say. She most certainly did not mention the red string of fate that made itself visible. No way. That was out of the question what with Alya being an investigative journalist and all. He could hardly keep secrets from his girlfriend, especially when it came to said girlfriend's best friend. Which was her.

"If you say so," he replied skeptically with a brow raised in question.

They removed their aprons and Nino grabbed his bag. "I'm off then. Alya and I are having a movie marathon night at our place. Gotta go before she starts calling wondering if I got lost on the way home again."

"Oh yes, I remember that," she replied, giggling.

He rolled his eyes than gave Marinette a quick hug. "You know you're always welcome to crash at ours if you're feeling lonely," he said and then stepped backwards, putting space between them as he gauged her expression.

"I know, thank you, Nino," she said, a genuine smile on her lips.

As soon as the front doors were locked again, Marinette raced for the stairs that led to her home. She had half an hour to put an outfit together and look presentable for her walk with Adrien. She was still unsure if it was a date. He hadn't said as much when he asked her, but a girl could hope right? Even if it wasn't, this day was a long-awaited fantasy —now turned reality— and she was going to look her best for him. 

Throwing open her trap door, she paced to her closet and began rummaging through it. Tikki, who had been following Marinette up after Nino left, floated into the closet to help her chosen pick her outfit. The little kwami was already up to date on what was going with Adrien, having been hidden inside Marinette's apron pocket during the encounter. 

"Tikki, the string, I-I saw it. It was on his finger. It connected to mine. Adrien is my soulmate! The legend is actually true and this whole time, we've been connected by fate! No wonder I've felt lost without him," rambled Marinette. A pang of familiarity hit her heart and her smile faded instantly. 

"Aren't you excited, Marinette?" asked Tikki, noting the change in atmosphere. 

"This feeling, is not new. I've felt it before, feel it often when I'm near _him._ Oh, I'm so confused, Tikki. I know I have feelings for Chat, because I _know_ I feel lost without him as well. He's always been there for me. But when I found out that Adrien is my soulmate, I instantly forgot about him. Chat doesn't deserve me at all, I'm such a horrible partner. I don't deserve a chance with either of them if I keep debating on who I wish to be with," she said and fell onto her chaise. Perhaps she was overreacting, but she wasn't wrong. 

Tikki zipped to Marinette and hugged her cheek in comfort. 

"If you keep putting yourself down about this, you'll never find the answers you're looking for. You haven't done anything wrong. Fate has gifted you with opportunities to find out who it is you truly love. You are worthy. Don't let that go to waste," advised Tikki.

"How have you been able to put up with my overthinking for this long?" said Marinette, smiling fondly at her kwami. "I'm very lucky to have you by my side."

"There's a reason Master Fu paired me with you. I'd say I'm the lucky one," replied Tikki.

Sitting back up, Marinette got ready. She was still bursting at the seams with questions, but kept her kwami's wise words in mind. _Find the one I truly love._ That was a funny way to word it seeing as she had found him two days in a row. But if Tikki was implying she hadn't "found him" yet, did that mean she needed to get to know Chat and Adrien more? Figure out who they are as themselves, their likes and dislikes? Or did it mean something else entirely? Something she wasn't sure she wanted to begin thinking about. 

The other question she had came pushing back through her mind. _Did Adrien see the string too?_

Nonetheless, she would find out tonight during their walk.

* * *

Adrien had been a jittery mess for the remainder of the afternoon.

He was still reeling at the discovery of his soulmate, the memory refusing to leave the front of his mind. Not that he wanted it to. 

Even after he had finished getting ready to go meet Marinette at the bakery, it was all he could think about. He attempted to keep his mind occupied, double checking his pockets to make sure his wallet was in there, and triple-checking his outfit in the mirror. It was all to no avail, however. With nothing left to do he had left early, hoping the fresh air would provide some clarity to the never-ending thoughts. He had so many questions and most were left unanswered. The majority were for Marinette, but he knew he couldn't outright ask her about the string of fate. She would probably think he was going crazy. _Or maybe not,_ his mind piped in.

Looking down at his watch, he concluded that leaving early hadn't been the best idea. Here he was, outside the bakery doors, fidgeting and wishing she would come outside so he could see her again. He knew he sounded very desperate, that he'd just seen her several hours ago, and yet he couldn't find it in himself to care. He needed to know why she had looked so shocked when he had taken her hand. She had practically run back into the building like he was fire. _Can she see the string too?_ He indulged the thought once more because in truth, she was acting suspiciously before he left her. _Does she know what it means?_ He shook his head as he heard a door open.

"Hi," said the girl that had taken over his whole being.

"Hi," he replied, slightly breathless.

She was smiling shyly at him, blush creeping onto her cheeks and he suspected his were looking similar. He gazed at her as she tucked a loose strand of dark hair behind her ears. _She's beautiful,_ he thought dreamily to himself.

The evening sky was lit by the streetlights and the shining stars above, but she radiated brighter than all of them combined. As she walked to his side, Adrien took note of the red long-sleeved dress she was wearing, and how he found the colour suited her very well. He then noticed the umbrella she was clutching and frowned.

"Is it supposed to rain?" he asked, dread filling his stomach.

"Yes, but I figured if we had an umbrella, we could just share it. I don't mind walking in the rain. Un-unless y-you don't like walking in the rain. We definitely don't have to. O-or if you don't w-want to share it, I can just walk in the rain I—"

"—Marinette, slow down," said Adrien, putting both hands on her shoulders in an attempt to stop her endearing rant. _She really is so thoughtful._ "I'm not letting you walk in the rain, and I don't mind sharing."

She let out a breath, and responded. "Oh, that's great!"

He began leading the way, and they remained quiet for awhile, neither knowing what to say. Adrien kept glancing at Marinette as she took in their surroundings. She seemed so content and he was continuously mesmerized by her. By the time they reached the Eiffel tower, conversation had only just begun to sprout between the two. That's when they felt small drops of water on their faces. Looking up, Adrien realized he been so enraptured by Marinette, that he hadn't noticed the dark clouds moving in over the stars.

Just like she had said at the beginning of their evening, the rain started coming down. The droplets were light, but Marinette opened the umbrella anyways and held it out to him with a smile. All of a sudden, Adrien's mind brought him back to the day he thought about so often. The day in the rain, when he had handed this girl his umbrella; the girl he thought he'd never see again. The days and nights spent thinking about if he'd get the chance to meet her once more came surging back to him. Here she was, holding out the umbrella this time, his soulmate. She was here with him under the rain that was coming down more heavily. In that instant, he knew he loved her, and he supposed he always had. He also knew he was going to kick himself later for not realizing sooner —not that it would have made a difference to his circumstance. He had been removed from her life, removed from all his classmates lives by his father. The only thing he could do now was make sure that this gift of fate would remain. Taking the umbrella from her, he held it so it sheltered both of them from the rain. _Would it be too forward to hold her hand,_ he wondered.

"I'm sorry, Marinette," he sighed. 

"It's alright. I told you I'm fine with the rain," she replied, unaware of what he was actually apologizing for.

"No, I meant I'm sorry I had to leave. I didn't have a choice. And I'm sorry I never kept in touch with you or anyone else. My father had banned me from speaking to anyone from Françoise Dupont."

When she looked up at him, Marinette saw the pain in his eyes and knew she never wanted to see that look again. She wrapped her hands around his arm and leaned her head against it. 

"There's nothing to apologize for, Adrien. We were so young, and it all happened so fast. I mean, yes, I was sad when I understood I'd likely not see you again, but I never blamed you. Sometimes these things happen," she replied.

"You have to know that I didn't want to leave, and I especially didn't want to leave _you,_ " he said. 

She gasped softly and they stopped walking. 

"Adrien, I—"

"—Wait, please, you have to hear the rest," he interrupted, while reaching out and tucking the strand of hair behind her ear again. He didn't know where all this courage was coming from, but he certainly wasn't going to back down now.

"I thought about you often, and I couldn't figure out why at first, because the thing is I barely knew you. I spent days and nights alone in that empty house with no one to call friend. I was isolated for years. Then when we ran into each other in the library by chance, I knew I had to find you. You've been on my mind all these years, and I need you to know that you are important to me."

Her blue eyes were shining as she gazed at him, her mouth agape. She felt like she was walking on a cloud and didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry at his words.

"I'm im-important to you?" she repeated, needing to hear him confirm it for fear she was daydreaming once again.

"Yes, Mari," he answered smiling. "I know we still barely know each other, but I have always felt this pull to you. Now that we've found each other again, I can't ignore it any longer."

She threw her arms around him, which forced him to take a step back at the sudden movement. After a moment he wrapped his free arm around her back.

"I hope I'm not being too forward," he voiced his earlier thought aloud.

"Adrien, you have no idea how often I thought of you after you left," she began quietly. He had just shared so much with her, it was time to return the favour. "We all tried to come up with ways we would be able to talk to you, or hang out with you, but in the end none of them worked out. You need to know that you were always on my mind as well. It sounds silly, but it's true. You occupied my thoughts from the very first time I saw you, and I've missed you. You deserve so much more than what you went through."

He tightened his hold on her, like he was afraid she'd be gone if he let go, and rested his chin on her head. The rain was pouring at this point and their shoes were getting soaked. Neither complained, wanting to stay like that for awhile longer. 

"Can I see you tomorrow?" asked Adrien.

"Yes, I'd like that," she replied.

They stayed there until the rain stopped, holding each other close.


	9. Fateful Deliberation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is conversation on the balcony...

That evening, Marinette had walked through her front door reluctantly and full of hope.

Adrien, ever the gentleman, had made sure she was inside with the doors locked before turning away and heading back to his place. She hadn’t wanted to part ways, to leave the comfort of his arms, but it was getting late as it was. She had watched his retreating form until she could no longer with her blush alight and lingering on her face and a smile printed on permanently. Never in her wildest dreams did she dare to imagine that Adrien Agreste would walk back into her life and turn her world upside down in the best of ways within two days. There was so much to process, and so many questions she still had to ask him. She supposed she could ask him when they saw each other later the next day.

The one question Marinette couldn’t bring herself to ask resurfaced once again. _Can Adrien see the red string of fate?_ Chat didn’t give any specifics regarding that part of the legend. The only reason she was scared to bring it up in front of Adrien, was that she didn’t wish for him to think she’d gone crazy. She knew that was unlikely, but it didn’t make it any less difficult. Even if she did ask, his answer would probably be that he had no idea what she was talking about.

Marinette sat up in her bed, wanting to ask Tikki more about the legend, but decided against it when she saw her kwami was fast asleep.

They had exchanged numbers before she went inside, only adding to her disbelief that this wasn’t all some kind of dream still. Even so, she would have to build up the courage to message him tomorrow.

Marinette was reeling. It was all getting too surreal. The more that she tossed and turned, the more she entertained the idea that it was all too good to be true. She knew she was overthinking it big time, but her mind _refused_ to be quiet. With a final huff, she accepted that sleep was not going to come anytime soon.

Getting up from her bed, Marinette unlocked the skylight hatch and pushed it open. She closed it after climbing out onto the balcony, and made her way to the black railing.

The clouds that had stretched out across the night’s sky earlier that evening were now nowhere to be seen. In their place, were the twinkling lights of the stars, leaving the sky bright and awake; much like Marinette. She smiled softly as a small breeze blew across her face. It wasn't as cold as she had thought it would be post rainstorm. She closed her eyes and took some deep breaths in and out, allowing her loose hair to be swept behind by the wind.

Thankfully, the air seemed warm enough that she could stay out for some time. _I’ll go in as soon as my eyelids begin drooping_ , she told herself. _Or, as soon as the past three days stop swirling around on repeat in my head_. She was not counting on the latter to happen first.

Sighing, she leaned against the top of the railing and decided to sift through what was truly bothering her most. Hearing Adrien tell her how much she meant to him had been one of the best moments she’s had until now. She knows deep down that their connection could never be severed, even if she would only be able to see the red string of fate for one more day. The legend will have done its part, and would disappear into the background once more.

Marinette tried to convince herself that it would be alright, but in truth, there was still a certain black cat that kept her hesitating where she never had before. It’s funny how after one night, he had changed her perspective of him. Adrien was the one she loved, but Chat Noir had crept into her heart. She would not lie to herself about that, considering everything that happened. And while she was being honest about it all, another thought slipped through the cracks of her mind. _The only thing still holding me back from opening up to Chat, is that our secret identities remain, that much I know._ There were a few other factors, such as keeping Paris safe being more important than a romance blossoming between the hero duo. But the more she thought about it, the more Marinette was wondering if that rule was becoming outdated.

On another note, she wondered what was going on in Chat’s mind. There was just _no way_ that he hadn’t noticed how different Ladybug was acting towards him that night in the garden. He is a smart kitty, after all. It would be unfair to just let it all go unsaid, to pretend her feelings didn’t exist. However, she knew better than that, which is why she needed to talk to him as soon as possible. There was the possibility that he remained true to his word and he was moving on, which would explain his hasty exit from the last akuma fight. Maybe he really was giving her space, or perhaps he too, found his soulmate.

The very thought made her face drop, emotions portrayed clearly. _Could this be any more complicated?_ Even so, the mere thought of having to choose between the two and find where her heart lay made her sick to her stomach. _They both don’t deserve me if that’s how I’m thinking._ It was beginning to sound like a mantra as of late.

Crossing her arms, she dropped her head into them in defeat.

“I am horrible,” she voiced aloud.

“That is no way to be talking about yourself,” said a familiar voice.

Marinette startled and whipped around to face the brick wall behind her, finding her partner in a crouch on the chimney. His green eyes were glowing through her soul but she didn’t scream, too stunned to see the boy who had been occupying her thoughts just then. Well, one of them, at least. Her lips remained parted as she tried to gather words, but nothing was coming out. _What is with people and sneaking up behind me today?_

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was in the area and saw you looked down, so I thought I would come and check if you were alright. I see now, that this is totally weird. I didn’t even think before vaulting over. Uh, I’ll just leave now,” said Chat Noir, extending his baton awkwardly.

Before he could leave, Marinette rushed over to grab his hand, effectively stopping him in his tracts. “I-I could use the company, if you don’t mind,” she said quietly, looking him straight in the eyes.

At that, his shoulders relaxed, but his face filled with concern. She thought it was odd for him to be so worried about her, seeing as her civilian self and him had never really met before. Although it didn’t fully make sense, she decided to ignore that for now, keeping the thought in the back of her mind. Admittedly, Marinette was happy to see him.

“Is everything alright?” he asked while sitting beside her on the railing.

* * *

_A little earlier that evening..._

After getting back to his apartment, Adrien was beside himself with joy. His evening with Marinette had gone better than he had hoped, _and_ she wanted to see him tomorrow as well. He was so happy, he wanted to cry. He had found his soulmate, and now that he had her, he was never letting Marinette go. Too many years had gone by keeping them apart and he wouldn't let that happen again.

He knew there was no way that he was going to be able to sleep, especially with the other thoughts trying to break through, demanding to be acknowledged. His unresolved —or rather lingering— feelings for Ladybug were ever present within, and that was something he knew needed to be cleared up. And so, instead of forcing sleep, Adrien transformed after promising more cheese to Plagg, and took to the rooftops.

As he bounded from building to building, he found himself heading towards the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Planning to just pass by considering the hour and how Marinette and Chat weren’t acquainted, Adrien almost missed the silhouette on the balcony. Curious, he came closer, and smiled upon seeing it was Marinette. _I still shouldn’t go over, we don’t know each other like this_ , he attempted to convince himself.

As he vaulted over to the rooftop closest to hers, Chat’s ears picked up on her long sigh. He frowned and narrowed his eyes, hoping to make out her facial expression. He noted her slouched posture and took in how she looked terribly uneasy. _That won’t do at all,_ he thought and hopped to the chimney on her balcony before he could talk himself out of the idea.

* * *

Back in the present, Marinette debated her answer to Chat’s question before responding.

“Yes and no,” she responded vaguely.

“How so?” he countered back. _I hope that she isn’t upset about what happened tonight._ His ears drooped at the thought.

“Yes, because I’ve had one of the best days of my life. No, because I can’t sleep. I have way too much to think about and it's becoming so overwhelming.”

“Funny enough, I’m in the same situation as you,” he said.

Marinette turned her head to peer at him, but noticed something before she could fully look at him.

All at once, the colour drained from her face. She blinked rapidly, wondering if the lack of sleep was catching up to her, but it was still there. There was no way to process what she saw on his finger while he was standing there. Even as she denied it, her mind was screaming the truth of what was right in front of her. Chat picked up on her silence, and froze when he saw her state.

“Marinette? What’s wrong?”

She was staring at his hand, but when he looked down to see why, he found nothing out of the ordinary. He thought maybe his costume had ripped or something. And now, he was even more confused. He was clearly not seeing what she was.

“Chat….I, um, actually I’m pretty tired I think I’ll head inside now,” she stammered.

Walking on shaky legs, she didn’t dare glance back. That is, until he spoke again.

“If you’re sure?” he asked more than said. Now he was very confused _and_ worried.

“Y-yes. Thank you for checking on me and have a good night!” she said, trying to keep her tone from sounding odd with probably no success.

With that, she climbed down her skylight and shut it before he could say any more. She felt horrible for leaving him so abruptly like that. Hopefully he wouldn’t take it the wrong way. But none of that mattered.

Marinette knew what she saw tied on his finger, and she was most definitely not prepared for it. Her eyes were wide and she shook like a leaf trying to process her discovery. Nothing would ever be the same now.

“Chat…is Adrien.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far :)  
> Only a few chapters left to post before it will be complete; which is crazy to think about!
> 
> See you next Monday for chapter 10.


	10. Fateful Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where plans are made and Plagg is still eating camembert...

Chat Noir remained on the balcony, unmoving, for a while. He couldn’t figure out why Marinette had run off into her room. It was as if something had startled, or maybe even scared her. Whatever it was, he hoped it wasn’t anything he had said.

He raked his brain through their brief conversation once again, but none of it was making any sense. They had barely begun to have a proper discussion before she sped out of sight. She had told him there was nothing to worry about, however he was left quite unconvinced. He then frowned, hoping she hadn’t been upset at him disrupting the quiet night she had been surrounded in. Surely, she would have told him to leave if that was the case, and yet Marinette invited him to join her with little hesitation. Plus, the reason he dropped down in the first place, was because it was very late and he was concerned. So why did she run back to her room like that?

Perhaps she was having second thoughts about the time they spent together in the rain while he was Adrien. He certainly hoped not. She had seemed to enjoy his company, along with the revelations that had been shared. The thought of her potentially regretting what she had confessed was a devastating. Shaking his head and setting his shoulders back, Chat decided to leave her balcony before she could come back up.

Even as he convinced himself to put the worry away —knowing it would deprive him of the sleep he likely wasn’t getting tonight anyways— it was easier said than done. He ran across the rooftops, making his way back to his apartment. No sense in doing a patrol, it was way too late and he had to be somewhat rested for work and the evening planned with Marinette. The whole situation was just too confusing to grasp onto. He could always text her in the morning and make sure she was alright. It would be too suspicious if he messaged her as his civilian self right now. She would most likely connect the dots immediately. No, it was too risky. He could wait.

With his efforts to shove aside those thoughts came the ever persistent questions he had lingering about Ladybug. _This is so not the time,_ he chided himself. When he thought about it though, there wasn’t much left to consider anymore. He had made his choice to move on from Ladybug after the night at the wishing well. Granted, it would take time, he knew, to fully see her as a partner and a friend only. Plagg did warn him about the matters of the heart being complex. Not that he would tell his kwami that. The one thing that still bothered him, was the nagging sensation trying to tell him something. Every time he told himself he was letting his feelings for Ladybug go, his entire being would fill with the sensation of _wrong_. Clearly, he was missing some sort of hint. Nonetheless, Chat continued to push it all away. Surely, it had to be his own doubts about this whole situation. Perhaps, even, a flicker of hope still glowing within. _You never forget your first love, so maybe it’s alright to feel like this,_ he argued with himself. _How is that fair to Marinette, though?_

Jumping down between an alley and making sure no one was watching, he released his transformation in a bright green flash of energy. The darkness of the night concealed him mostly, but he could never be too careful. Adrien ran his hands through his hair and slumped against the brick wall. Plagg eyed his chosen curiously, wondering what had him looking so dejected. As far as he was concerned, Adrien had been extremely overjoyed —if not giddy— prior to transforming that night.

“What’s got you all mopey? Something happen with your girlfriend?” he teased, although he was only half joking.

Adrien blinked, looked up at his kwami and sighed, deciding to ignore that comment for now. Pushing himself off the brick wall, he made his way out of the alley after ensuring there was no one around once again. The last thing he needs is to draw attention. Quite frankly, he’s surprised reporters have never gotten any pictures at all, since he’s been frequenting alleys to transform into his alter ego for years. Not that anyone would be out at this hour to do so. Adrien took the steps up to his apartment two at a time while Plagg floated behind, close enough to hide inside his pocket if someone were to walk by.

Only after locking the door —and making his way into the kitchen to get Plagg some camembert— did Adrien respond to the little black cat’s question.

“You know she isn’t my girlfriend, we’ve been over this before,” he stated, stifling a yawn and resting his chin on the hand he propped up on the counter with his elbow.

“But you want her to be,” retorted Plagg with a mouthful of cheese.

At Adrien’s hesitance to respond, Plagg dropped his snack and flew up to his chosen’s face.

“You do want her to be your girlfriend, right?” he asked again with more emphasis on each word.

He considered his words carefully and took a deep breath before responding. It was time to acknowledge the truth.

“I’ve been thinking a lot tonight.”

“Okay, what’s on your mind?”

“I can’t keep going from one girl to the next in my mind. The person who has so clearly known me for me, who has been there this whole time just out of reach, that’s who I see myself with. I’ve made my decision. I choose to be with Marinette. I want to learn all about her likes and dislikes, what makes her laugh, what all her favourites are. I want to be there when she’s feeling down. I want to give her the world. Plagg, I think I’m in love. And wether or not we get into a relationship right away, or if we take things slowly, or even if she doesn’t want to be more than friends, I just know I want her to be able to choose to be a part of my life too.”

Plagg stared at Adrien in bewilderment for a good minute before responding. “Wow, kid. I never thought I’d see the day where you finally came to and realized your feelings.”

“Awww, are you getting all emotional—”

“—okay nope I’m just going to block you out now!”

“Well, I love you too Plagg,” continued a very smug Adrien.

“Ew, don’t say that so close to my cheese,” he huffed, shielding his snack with a tiny paw.

Adrien rolled his eyes in amusement. “I’m going to bed now,” he said and walked to his bedroom.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Plagg replied sarcastically. He then proceeded to gulp down his cheese in one bite.

“Don’t eat it all at once!” Adrien called knowingly over his shoulder.

Plagg turned around and glared for show before a rare smile crept up his face. “I’m proud of ya, kid,” he said quietly to the now empty kitchen.

* * *

Marinette was on the verge of a breakdown as her mind fought against her on the truth of what had been shown only minutes ago. It felt more like hours with everything cascading neatly into place and completing the puzzle she didn’t know she had been solving all these years.

She paced back and forth, not too worried about making noise. Tikki had woken up when she slammed the skylight closed in her haste to escape, so there was no need to be quiet.

At this point, she supposed that resisting the pulls was futile attempt at best. All this time, the answer she had been searching for revealed itself in the most unexpected way. No, this was not a dream at all. It was her beautiful reality. A thread of fate entwining her with the love of her life, who had been by her side this whole time. She wanted to cry of joy but her emotions were going in every which way. How could she have not seen it? The magic of the miraculous had kept the secret, but the red string of fate showed her exactly who she had been searching for all these years. But why? Why could she see the string and not Chat? Did his coin not work like hers? Was she not his soulmate? She shook her head at the thought. That wasn’t a rabbit hole she wanted to tumble down just yet. There were still so many questions to be asked before jumping to conclusions. It was a good thing she was seeing him tomorrow. Well, more like later on today, as it was very early in the morning already. She should probably sleep.

Marinette stopped abruptly, and looked up at Tikki, with new realization and panic on her features.

“How I am going to confront him tonight?!” she exclaimed while pulling at her hair, eyes widening. How could she have forgotten that detail! Adrien was going to come over tonight after work and she had insisted that this time she would plan something for them to do. Knowing what she does now leads her to believing that there is no way she could be in the same room as him for hours and not reveal herself. _Maybe it’s time,_ a voice at the back of her mind whispered.

“Marinette, I really think you should get some sleep before we go any further into this discussion. A lot has happened tonight, and I understand you’re very overwhelmed and have plenty of questions. However, I also know that you work in less than six hours,” said Tikki with a sympathetic smile.

“You’re right, Tikki. Sleep now and questions later."

Letting a long sigh out as she climbed the stairs up to her bed for the second time that night and settled into bed.

“Sleep well, Marinette,” whispered Tikki who flew to her makeshift bed on the chaise. She knew her chosen would likely not be able to sleep, but it was best to try.

As Marinette’s head hit her pillows, she closed her eyes and willed sleep to come along. The only thing she could see, was the darkness from her closed eyelids, and the three words that were still flashing like a neon sign.

_Adrien is Chat._

* * *

The day had passed by uneventful for Adrien.

Years of modelling tended to make it all the same old story on some days. Plus, it was raining outside again, which meant he was distracted.

This time, however, was the first time he was reminiscing that day in the rain with the girl in the pigtails, knowing he had found her at last. There was no more longing and sadness within his faraway dazed look that his photographer really wished would stop sliding onto Adrien’s face. His love of a certain girl he often thought about when it rained, had grown and grown as the years went by, and now he finally understood what he had been searching for —or who, to be precise. Marinette had taken his heart captive that day in the rain, back when they were kids. He knew that for sure.

For all his bad luck, the red string of fate had brought him a ray of sunshine that he intended to keep aglow, even after the legend came to close tonight at midnight.

Although he had not slept as long as he wanted, Adrien had woken up with plenty of energy. He blamed it on his nerves, even though there was no real reason to be so nervous. He had texted Marinette during his break, and she had seemed alright. Not that he could read her emotions through the phone's screen. Whatever had sent her running last night was set to the back of his mind at the relief of her actually responding to his messages.

**Adrien Agreste** _2:04pm_

Hi :)

**Marinette Dupain-Cheng** _2:06pm_

Hi back! :)

**Adrien Agreste** _2:06pm_

How is your day going?

**Marinette Dupain-Cheng** _2:06pm_

Uh, honestly? I've been a klutz all day :p 

What about you?

**Adrien Agreste** _2:08pm_

Don't tell me you've dropped more pastries already ;p

It's not too bad, although I'd much rather be in your company.

**Marinette Dupain-Cheng** _2:08pm_

.....I definitely didn't drop any pastries today.

...or cookies...

I'm very distracted, so it's not entirely my fault.

You'll see me tonight! :)

**Adrien Agreste** _2:09pm_

Tsk tsk

What am I going to do with you? ;p

I can't wait :D

**Marinette Dupain-Cheng** _2:09pm_

Me neither! :))

He tried to be patient for the rest of his photoshoot, to no avail, further frustrating Vincent who wrapped up the session early. It was good for Adrien, because he had more time to get ready for the evening, but at the same time, he would probably be hearing about this from his father. Ignoring that thought, he left the building with a skip in his step, leaving his hood down and embracing the rain.

_So this is what freedom feels like._

* * *

By the time eight o’clock came around, Marinette was a nervous wreck. She had gotten no sleep the previous night, no matter how many glow in the dark stars she counted on her cieling. And it was no surprise as to why. She knew she was on the cusp of something that would end in either a complete disaster or a truly wonderful beginning. Oh, how she wished for the latter.

The whole day at work, Marinette had managed to ruin the dough of many pastries-to-be, dropped bowls and baking utensils alike to the ground in a clatter, and ultimately failed at icing cookies. It had gotten so bad, that Nino had taken her out of the bakery’s kitchen and told her to go have a nap. When she had come back down, she found Ben and Samuel baking, while Nino remained at the front of the shop serving customers. Marinette said a quick hello to the two boys before heading to the front to finish up the work day that she _wished_ would just go by already.

Now she stood in the empty bakery, watching the rain fall and waiting for Cha—Adrien. That was going to take some getting used to.

In her hazy mind that day, she had sorted through the chaos of questions and doubts. With the occasional question for Tikki answered —who had known much more about the legend of the soulmate well than she had originally led Marinette to believe— a decision was made. She really hoped it all went according to plan. The legend states that the red string of fate would disappear from view forever after the third day, but Marinette was no longer worried about that. She had found him. All that was left to do, was for him to find her.

The rain was an unexpected but welcome addition. After all this time, Marinette found herself smiling at it, inviting it into her life with new meaning.

Just as she was about to check her phone for the tenth time again, she spotted him walking across the street towards her front door. They had texted briefly that afternoon, but it was so much better seeing him in person. She sinagled for Tikki to get into her purse, then walked to the door. Adrien knocked on the window, smile tugging his lips and lighting his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. There was no going back now. Making her way to the door, she opened it with a smile to match his own, blush dusting her cheeks as she thought _that’s my partner, my kitty!_

“Wow, Marinette, you look beautiful,” he said with an awed expression as his eyes raked over her, taking in what she was wearing.

Marinette had opted for a cream coloured long sleeved wrap dress that ended just above her knees. It was warm enough out to forgo a jacket, despite the rain, and so she had left hers in her house. Her hair was down, brushing against her cheek from the wind.

Although her outfit was pretty, Adrien was drawn in by all of her. _She is breathtaking,_ he thought to himself.

She looked down bashfully at her hands that were clutching the same umbrella they used last night, pink blush becoming a red along her cheeks from his compliment.

He reached out and put a finger under her chin, lifting her head up and her eyes snapped up to meet his green ones.

“You don’t have to hide from me,” he said in a low voice that left Marinette’s knees weak.

_No! Concentrate!_ she chided herself. Straightening her shoulders in a way that had Adrien wondering where he’d seen that before, she met his gaze straight on, determination settling in.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she returned the compliment. He really was something else, this boy. He had on black jeans that fit him just right, and a dark green sweatshirt. The colour enhanced his features and she had to remind herself to stop staring. His blonde hair was speckled with rain drops that seemed to glisten. All in all, he looked like a dream.

“Thank you, Princess,” he said with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

“Princess?” she repeated, taken aback by the nickname. _That’s such a Chat thing to do,_ she thought, then smiled.

“Oh, sorry, I should’ve asked if I can call you that before blurting it out,” he said and brought a hand to the back of his neck and scratched it in his nervous gesture.

“It’s okay, I uh, I like it,” she replied.

A smile tugged at his lips anew, than a smug look replaced it as he asked her about the plans for their evening together.

“Where is my Princess taking me tonight?” he said, sliding back into the easy flirting they had done over text.

“It’s a surprise,” she said as he took his hand in hers, entwining their fingers. She ignored the butterflies in her stomach. _His_ princess!

“By all means, lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter, and as always, thank you for reading :)


	11. Fateful Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uploading a day later than expected. I wrote it out and then re-wrote the chapter a few times. I'm happy with this version. Here is the final chapter!

The walk to the secret destination had begun to feel endless. Not that he was complaining, though. Adrien was very happy to be spending more time with Marinette.

The evening sky filled with stars only added to the atmosphere surrounding them. Thankfully, there had been no akuma attacks that day, and he hoped it remained that way for the rest of the night. Hawkmoth was known for his unpredictability, unfortunately. That would be a hard one to explain to her. _Oh, hey I have to go do something and I can’t tell you what it is but I’ll be back soon, I promise._. _...yeah, I’d rather not have to do that,_ he thought to himself.

At some point during their walk, Marinette had insisted he wear a blindfold, claiming he might figure out where she was bringing him before they got there. That could have been a big hint in itself, except the only places they had been together that he would know of was the park, which she had already stated was not where they were headed.

There he was, being pulled along by Marinette, trusting her to guide him along the route. She managed well, save for a few of what felt like branches that got him in the head. She laughed with him and apologized, muttering something about how she forgets they aren’t the same height. 

He could sense that she was nervous about something. He felt it in the way she gripped his hand, and how her pace was quickening. He wanted to ask her if she was alright, but decided against it. Wherever she was taking him had to be not all that bad. Right?

A few minutes later, Adrien felt her stop moving.

“Alright, you can take the blindfold off now!”

He complied, reaching up with one hand to undo the loose knot at the back of his head. He didn’t react at first, blinking to adjust to the light, or rather the lights surrounding the secret garden. _Wait what?_ He quickly turned his head back in her direction with a million questions forming in his mind. When he turned to ask her how she knew about this place, his brain turned into a puddle at the sight of her sweet smile.

“Marinette?” he said with wonder in his eyes.

She walked to the gazebo that was now strung with lights reflecting in her beautiful blue eyes.

“A few days ago, if you asked me what I thought about fate, I probably would not have said much. It’s not something that has come to mind until recently. Even now, as I’m talking about it, I don’t have all the right words.”

She turned to look up at the stars that were slowly getting covered by the gloomy clouds in the sky. Adrien walked up the steps and stood beside her as she continued.

“Fate has opened my eyes to the truth I did not know I had been searching for all these years. I’m not well versed in how it all works, and I don’t suppose I ever will be. All I know is that fate brought me back to you in the most unexpected way. Then again, fate showed me how we’ve been together all this time, and I was too caught up in my head to see it before.”

Marinette took his hand, entwining their fingers and then brought them up between them. “Fate lit the way to my soulmate.”

Adrien looked down at their hands as she gestured to the red string that glowed under the lights, and then up into her eyes. _Wait….she can see it?_

“You…you can see the string too?” he voiced his question aloud.

She nodded her head in confirmation but didn’t say anything more. Adrien continued to gaze at her like she was his whole world. She very well was at that point. _The girl I love knows that we’re soulmates!?_

He absently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as he let her words process for a while more. She made no move to continue speaking, and so, he asked his first question.

“How is it possible that you can see the red string of fate?”

That seemed to throw her off guard momentarily. _Was she not expecting that to be my question?_ While he waited for a response, the gears in his head continued spinning. In order to see the soulmate thread, Marinette would have had to make a wish in the well over there. Which means she had to have been here recently, seeing as you only get three days to see the red string of fate. Hold up!

He spoke just as she was beginning to open her mouth in response. “Wait, no, scratch that. Were you here three nights ago?”

“I was,” she nodded, shy smile forming on her face.

“Okay, I’m definitely missing something because I was here three nights ago and I didn’t see you, even though it’s possible we weren’t here at the same…….time,” he paused at the end of his sentence as a thought occurred to him.

Adrien looked down at their hands tied in the red string, then back up to Marinette again, his mouth slowly opening into an O shape. Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle fit together and it was all very clear.

“Adrien?” she asked, a hint of worry in her voice. How could he have not noticed their voices were the same?!

“Is this real?” he asked, stroking her cheek that he still held with his thumb.

“Yes, it’s very much real,” she said while gazing at him with love in her eyes.

“I can’t be this lucky, can I? You said we’ve been together all these years. How could that be possible….unless you are….,” he tried voicing his thoughts but stopped himself, too scared to be wrong.

Marinette seemed to sense this as she took the hand resting on her face in her own and tugged him to the well.

“You’ve always had luck by your side,” she said as she opened the umbrella she had brought. He hadn’t even realized it started raining. She extended it out to him, a gesture he recognized from eight years ago, only the roles were reversed then. It took him back to the day they first met, and in a way, they were meeting for the first time right now. It was fitting.

“Hi, Chaton,” she whispered.

He closed the distance between them, wrapping her in his arms and letting out a shaky breath of disbelief. She hugged him back, letting the umbrella fall forgotten to the ground.

“Bug?”

“It’s me, I’m here Kitty.”

Adrien cradled the back of her head and nuzzled her forehead with his.

“It seems, you and I, are soulmates Bugaboo, and I knew it all along!” he teased, finding that in this moment, he couldn’t resist.

“Oh really? I don’t think so,” she said and poked out her tongue at him.

“Well that’s not very ladylike, now is it?”

“As if you would know.”

“You want to bet on that, Bugaboo?”

“I don’t need to bet if I’m right.”

“Paw-lease, you wish you were.”

Marinette shook with laughter she struggled to conceal, trying to wriggle her way out of his arms. “Not the cat puns again!”

“You loveeeee them, just admit it already,” he said while tightening his hold and sporting a big goofy smile on his face.

“I don’t, but I love you.”

Adrien stilled at her words, amusement gone from his features. A slight blush was forming on his cheeks but he didn’t care. He needed to hear her say that again. Marinette was staring at the ground, face blooming with pink, which confirmed that he had heard her properly. He put his hands on her shoulders and crouched down to try to get within her eyesight. It seemed, however, that her staring contest with the ground wasn’t about to end anytime soon.

“Marinette, please look at me,” he said softly, brining her chin up with his finger.

She glanced in his eyes for a second, than pouted and looked off to the side. “I promise it wasn’t supposed to come out like that. I just, oh, I don’t know! I’ve been wanting to tell you this for years, Adrien. I didn’t want to blurt it out because our relationship is so new and well I’m not even sure if we are in a relationship. I’d like to be in one, with you, that is. Oh, this is such a disaster of a confession, I—”

“—Mari slow down for a second; just breathe,” said Adrien, interrupting her mid-ramble. She looked at him and did as he said, much to his relief. He rubbed up and down her arms in a soothing gesture, gathering his thoughts before continuing to talk.

“We don’t have to rush this, whatever this is. A lot was revealed tonight, let alone the past few days, and I don’t think either of us will come to terms with it until tomorrow,” he said.

“You’re right, we should probably talk about all this more thoroughly,” she responded.

“Even so, I know I’ll be happy as long as there’s an us. You’re my other half, my _soulmate_. You are the one I’ve been searching for all this time. You are my strong, confident partner Ladybug, and my sweet and caring Marinette. I love you, and I always will.”

He hadn’t realized how close they had gotten, until their foreheads were resting against one another. He gazed down at her lips before looking back into her eyes. He could see her blue eyes were tearing up, and suspected his were the same. They had found each other twice, and now he knew with certainty that no matter what happened next, he wanted to be by Marinette’s side.

In that instant she went up on her toes and brought their faces close enough that when she spoke, he could almost feel her lips brushing against his.

“I love you too, Chaton,” was all she could get out before he crashed his lips onto hers.

She's quick to respond, fingers grasping at his blonde hair. He pulls her in closer, one hand holding the small of her back while the other remains on her cheek. Her dress was wet from the rain, as were his clothes, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. She didn't seem to mind either. Her lips were soft and warm against his, and Adrien wishes they could stay like this forever, wrapped up in one another. He backs her up until she's pressed against the gazebo's wooden beam, deepening the kiss as a gasp of surprise left her mouth. Marinette wrapped a leg around his waist and he hoists her up as she begins to press kisses along his jaw. She makes a path to his ear before whispering to him. "We have an audience."

Still holding Marinette, Adrien turned his head around to meet the familiar gaze of his kwami, and the blue eyes of what could only be Ladybug's kwami. 

"Can you finish your weird human activity later? I'm hungry," said Plagg, although he sounded more happy for once than annoyed.

"Plagg! Leave them be. They're in love and it's beautiful!" chastised Tikki before she sighed and smiled at her chosen. "We'll be over here if you need us," she said and pulled the black cat with her towards the trees.

Adrien faced her once again and rested his forehead on hers, gazing at her with an amused smile. "The mood is kind of gone now, isn't it?" 

"It's okay, we'll have plenty of time to explore all that later," she replied while giggling.

"I'd like that very much," he hummed.

"It might be a good idea to take cover from the rain now," said Marinette, gesturing to their soaked hair and clothes.

"You're probably right."

He sighed and let her down to her own feet once more, before taking in their surroundings again.

"When did you have the time to do all this?" he asked.

They sat down on the ground of the gazebo. Marinette tucked herself into his side as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

She smiled fondly up at him. "During my break, after the nap I took."

"How late were you up until last night?" he asked, looking at her pointedly.

"You mean after our balcony meeting? Basically none," she shrugged.

"I'm guessing that's when you figured out I'm Chat Noir. This is all starting to make so much more sense! You ran back into your room so quickly I thought for sure I'd done something wrong."

"I'm sorry, Adrien, I didn't mean to make you think that. I saw the red string on your finger was connected to mine. It didn't take long to realize why. I couldn't sleep after that because I was so overwhelmed. I imagine you're feeling similarly right now."

He nodded in understanding. "Overwhelmed in a good way, I hope?"

"The best way," she smiled and he kissed the top of her head.

He looked out at the stars and considered a thought for awhile. Marinette seemed to notice —perceptive as ever— setting her gaze over his. "What are you thinking about?"

"Well, you said you saw the string appear while I was transformed on your balcony, only I didn't see it at all. I was just wondering why," he replied thoughtfully.

"Ah, Tikki explained that to me earlier. The magic from our miraculous prevents us from seeing other magic that could potentially expose our secret identities. But because I wasn't transformed, I saw it and found out anyways."

"And I'm so glad you did," he said, nuzzling her head.

Sighing, he let the silence surround them once more. The gentle breeze swaying in the trees was like a lullaby and the soft glow of the lights provided some warmth. They were both so content in that moment, it felt like nothing could be more perfect. Well, one thing might make it so. Adrien just needed to find his courage before asking.

"So I know we have a lot more to talk about, but I have one important question for you," he said tentatively.

She turned her head to face him, nodding as a sign he had her full attention.

"Marinette, if I asked you to be my girlfriend, what would you say?"

She gasped and began nodding her head. 

"Yes, I would say yes!" she exclaimed and grabbed the collar of his shirt to bring him down for another kiss.

In that moment, Adrien knew the love and freedom he was searching for was right in front of him. So he held on tight, and so did she, basking in the warmth and certainty.

* * *

They stayed out until the red string of fate began dissappearing, knowing in their hearts their intertwined fates would remain even without the thread.

They had each other, and it seemed, after all, they were living the lives they dreamed of all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all readers who followed me along on this writing journey. It has been a great challenge for my imagination, especially after I decided to stretch it to twelve chapters instead of nine. The epilogue (chapter 12) will be up on monday december 7th. I hope you enjoyed the story :)


	12. Fateful Music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue is set six months after Fateful Revelations (chapter 11).

Ladybug soared past the buildings on her way to Adrien’s place, flinging her wrist to extend the yo-yo string further out. She smiled and relished in the way that her hair fluttered around her face in the wind. Being transformed is still something that she isn’t used to, but in a good way. That swooping feeling in her stomach surfacing every time she would free fall pumped her adrenaline, and the thrill of it all excited her now more so than it ever had when she was fourteen.

The past six months had gone by in a wondrous blur. After the night in the secret garden —a name Adrien _insisted_ they start calling it— the two of them had continued on with their daily lives. Marinette worked at the bakery while Adrien did more modelling for his father’s company.

Even though they didn’t know much about each other’s civilian lives, the duo felt closer than ever before. The reveal had solidified their relationship and strengthened their bond even more so than before. They were a flawless team when dealing with akumas and almost inseparable when they were together. Perhaps that had something to do with being soulmates and all, but Marinette counted her lucky stars for bringing her Chaton to her, and made sure he knew how loved he was each day. There was no way she was going to let this slip from her, not for anything in the world. She finally found what she’d be searching for, what her mind had been pushing her towards. It was all clear at last.

Alya, Nino, and her parents had been overjoyed at the news of her and Adrien’s new relationship. If there was money being passed around, Marinette payed no attention to it. Alya and Nino planned a double date evening shortly afterwards. She had been close to tears at Nino and Adrien’s heartfelt reunion, and by the looks of it, he was as well. Later on, when Adrien had phoned his father to tell him of their relationship, he received a hum of acknowledgment and a short sentence of approval, much to Marinette’s disbelief. Adrien had to hang up and grasp her shoulders before she could give his father a piece of her mind. They had a long discussion that day about his home life over the years, and she comforted him as best she could. _“No sense in worrying over it all. It’s in the past now, and besides, as long as you’re by my side, I know I can handle anything,”_ is what he had told her with a warm smile. That boy was too sweet for his own good.

They had fallen into a routine of sorts over the weeks. Granted their relationship was still new, the superhero duo had known each other for far longer than others would know of. So when he asked her to spend the night a week later, Marinette agreed in a heartbeat. It soon became habitual; she would spend the night at his apartment when she knew she didn’t have to get up early for work the following morning.

He would often times visit her as Chat Noir on her balcony, and they enjoyed their game of chase across Paris while suited up. Letting him into her world as Ladybug and as Marinette was the best decision she ever made.

As she caught air and flipped over a rooftop edge, she noticed the rain drops that splashed onto her face. _Again?_ It had been raining an unfortunate amount of times that week, and although it didn’t render her quite as melancholy as it did previously, it still made it difficult to run across rooftops without slipping. Huffing, she squared her shoulders and doubled her efforts. She was almost there anyways.

Holding her yo-yo whilst sprinting along the connected buildings she was now on, she scrolled through to the phone application and pressed call. It rang twice before he picked up.

“Hi beautiful, where are you?” greeted Adrien.

“I’m a block away, can you open your window?”

“Sure thing, Princess,” he answered and she chuckled at the nickname.

“You really need to find new nicknames. Aren’t you tired of calling me that?”

She threw her yo-yo out, pausing the call as she hooked it into his window that was now opened, and swung onto the ledge. She scanned the room and locked gazes with his glowing green eyes. He had waited for her to get in, it seemed.

“Never,” he said, still holding his phone to his ear. He leaned against the doorframe and smirked at her before pressing end on their brief call.

She jumped down and called off her transformation in a flash of pink. Marinette gave Tikki a cookie and let her settle on Adrien’s desk before sauntering over to him. Plagg zipped by, muttering a quick hello before sitting down with Tikki.

“You know, M’Lady, that there is a perfectly good balcony and sliding door unlocked for you on nights I know you’re coming over,” he said teasingly.

She folded her arms over her chest and jutted her hip to the side with a look of amusement displayed on her features.

“Hmm, but where’s the fun in that, Chaton?”

He reached his arm around her waist and pulled her close as he leaned forward, smirk still painted on his face. “Now look who’s using the nicknames.”

Marinette blinked her blue eyes up at his, seemingly innocent.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, someone’s in a playful mood tonight,” he remarked and leaned down for a kiss.

She melted into him, lacing her arms around his neck as his hands held her hips. When they broke apart, he leaned his forehead against her own and kissed her nose quickly.

“Yes, I am,” she replied to his earlier comment and stood up on her tip toes for another kiss.

He smiled into the kiss and she sighed happily. She loved moments like this. A loud cough had them pulling away and rolling their eyes, however. _Well, moments that aren’t interrupted,_ she thought with an amused smile.

“Maybe we should go eat dinner before Plagg personally kicks us out of my room,” he whispered into her ear.

“You’re probably right,” she said.

He grabbed her hand and brought her to the dining room table. “You look lovely as always, Bug. Is that the new dress you were working on?” he asked, turning back around to face her.

“It is! I’m so glad I could finish it for tonight. Do you like it?” she asked shyly. He twirled her around and she laughed as he dipped her in his arms.

“I think it’s my favourite one so far!” he said, eyes roaming over the details as he brought her back upright.

It was a white halter chiffon dress, with a tie at the waist defining her figure before the material flowed out just above her knees. There were little yellow flowers with dark green leaves spread around the fabric. She had fixed her dark hair into a half up bun, and left the other half of her silky strands fall down around her shoulders.

As she blushed under his praise and the way he was eyeing her, she took the time to glance at his outfit. It didn’t matter what he wore, her boyfriend looked good in everything and it was super unfair. The navy dress shirt and his black jeans he was wearing only affirmed her statement. Although she liked him in his signature green and black, she had to admit the navy was very nice as well. Her eyes wandered to his hair as he swept it back with his hand. _How is he this attractive?!_

“I’m glad you like it,” she said, reaching up to tap his nose. “You look very handsome, Kitty.”

“You flatter me,” he replied with a wink.

Marinette blushed a deeper red and turned to look at the candles lit on the table. Just seconds ago she was confident and teasing, and now he was rendering her to a puddle of mush with his charm. She smiled fondly though, because she loved that about him.

“Dinner is ready, by the way. Shall we eat now?” he asked and she nodded eagerly.

He pulled the chair out in front of her and gestured for her to sit down. He made his way towards the stereo and put on some soft music, then walked over to the kitchen. They were having a date night for the first time in a few months and Adrien had pleaded to do the cooking, and she could hardly say no to those kitten eyes.

They ate and chatted about their days and other affairs. He cleared off the table when they were done, and took her hand in his to lead her to his piano. Her eyes lit up as she realized they were headed that way. Adrien rarely played for her, and she couldn’t, blame him. Their schedules had gotten so busy as of late, there was no time for hobbies.

He tended to play by himself anyways, not always comfortable with others hearing his music. That was something she learned early on after discovering the piano on one of her first nights over. So when he closed the door and sat down next to her on the small bench, she smiled softly at him, honoured he wanted to share some of his melody tonight.

“Is this a special occasion?” she asked, looking up at him curiously.

“Any time spent with you is special, Bug,” he evaded her question and began to play a melody.

She decided to let it go for now. If he wanted to talk, he would when he was ready. Marinette smiled and closed her eyes as she laid her head on his shoulder. She listened to the calming notes from the keys he pressed. She could happily stay in this moment forever. When he began the second song, Adrien started talking softly.

“There are two reasons I wanted to bring you in here. The first being that I quit modelling today,” he said, feigning indifference.

Her eyes flew open, and Marinette gaped at him and he chuckled at her reaction. “You’re serious?” she asked.

“Yes, I am! After the photoshoot today, I called my father and Nathalie. I told them that this wasn’t a career that I wanted to be doing anymore, and it was time I chose my own path,” he replied and then cringed. “As you can imagine, an argument ensued shortly after those words left my mouth. It doesn’t matter though, because we came to a conclusion and I am no longer working for _Gabriel_.”

“Oh, Adrien, I’m so proud of you! I know how difficult that must have been to do. It really pained me to see you so miserable though. I’m glad you’re putting yourself first,” she said while running her fingers through his hair in a soothing motion.

That had been something they had frequent discussions about. Like herself, Adrien hadn’t ended up with the career he was hoping for, especially since he was still somewhat influenced by his father. Their situations differed there though, because in her case, Marinette was working for her parents by choice.

He had told her he wanted nothing more than to quit, but always chose to go back to the toxic environment. She knew he was scared to take that leap of faith, and she was so happy for him right now. He had overcome his bound chains.

“Marinette, I need to thank you. I would not have been able to do it without your continuous encouragement and support. I love you so much, you know.”

“I love you too,” she said and hugged him tight.

He kissed the top of her head and she stayed like that as she asked him her next question. “What will you do now then?”

“I was thinking that I could open a business and become a piano teacher. It’s what I love to do, though it’s been awhile since I practiced properly. What do you think?”

“That sounds wonderful, Kitty,” she replied, smiling up at him. "I'll support you through anything you choose." At that he smiled in relief. When it came to speaking his mind, sometimes he still got nervous awaiting opinions.

“I'm glad. Before we talk more about this, I’ll tell you the second reason I brought you in here,” he said. She picked up on the nervous tone of his voice and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Is everything okay?”

“It is, well, I hope it will be,” he said vaguely while searching for something in his pocket.

She gave him a confused stare. Now he wasn’t making any sense.

Before she could ask him again, she watched him pull out a small box and gasped.

“Adrien, is that—”

“—No, no, this isn’t what you think it is. I’m not getting down on one knee tonight,” he rushed out.

Marinette relaxed a little. They weren’t ready for that commitment quite yet.

“What is it?” she asked, curiosity creeping back in.

“Open it,” he said and placed it in her hands.

She looked up at him and then back down at the little box before lifting the lid. Inside, was a key. She furrowed her brows.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I had to quit modelling before I could put this plan in motion. Now that I have done that, I have an important question for you, my love.”

“Are you _sure_ you’re not proposing?” she teased.

“One day I will. Not today though,” he chuckled.

He took the key out and held it up.

“This key, holds the beginning of the next step in our relationship. I know that you aren’t doing what you truly wish to be, and I admire you for dropping that to help your parents. You are so brave, Mari. On another note, I also know you haven’t been happy with the way things turned out lately, and I want to help you change that, as you have helped me.”

Adrien put the key down on the piano and held her hands in his. She remained quiet, letting his words sink in.

“I talked with your parents last week and asked how they would feel about Ben and Samuel taking over the bakery. You mentioned they were graduating this month and would be ready for full time positions once they received their diplomas. They are obviously qualified and have the experience needed for this job. You, on the other hand, have been wanting to become a fashion designer for so long, not a bakery owner. I know you want to help your parents, but they agreed with me on this and have decided that it’s been a long enough period of time and that the bakery can be passed on to new mangers. You can start a boutique and design clothes, or apply to a fashion house and work there if you wanted. Now I’m not saying that this is the way things are going to happen, but if you wanted to close the chapter and start a new one, it’s all set for you.”

“Wow,” she breathed, not knowing what else to say. She loved this boy so much. He so clearly wanted her to be happy and went out of his way to move mountains for her. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Tears were forming in her eyes as she thought of all the doors he opened for her. But it turns out, he wasn’t done blowing her mind just yet.

“This key is for you, if you wish it to be. It is for my apartment here. I figured there was no better time to ask you this. So, with all that being said, will you move in with me?”

At that, she let the tears fall and kissed him hard, pouring all her love into it. He responded after a moment and they remained there for what felt like hours. Eventually he pulled away and searched her eyes, and she realized she never responded.

“Bugaboo?” he asked, hesitant as he tucked her hair behind her ear and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“Of course I'll move in with you, Chaton!”

He shouted excitedly and picked her up off the bench, spinning he around in his arms.

“I am so grateful for this life with you. Thank you for doing this for me, Adrien. You are amazing and I love you,” she said after he set her back down on her feet.

"And I, you."

* * *

As it turns out, life has many different paths and outcomes, and Marinette and Adrien found theirs.

All it took was sign from fate, and the legend of the soulmate well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes TLOTSW fanfic! Thank you again to all readers for sticking with the story this far. I hope that it has been as fun for you to read as it was for me to write :)
> 
> -Jules


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